County commissioners support Heartland Art Center READI 2.0 public grant

The READI 2.0 Project for the Heartland Artist Center received support from county commissioners Monday for some of the required local play.

Heartland Artist’s Brent Martin and Anna Kietzman submitted a request for assistance to approach the County Council to obtain a portion of the funds needed for their READI 2.0 grant application. The amount claimed was $180,000.

Kietzman, president of Heartland Artists, gave a brief overview of the organization. She said they started in the late 1970s and have grown over the past 40 years. In 2013 they moved to 101 North Michigan Street and after 11 years the space was too big. In March of this year, they moved into the former Montgomery Ward building on the 200 block of Michigan Street with a long arts tradition in the community. She said they are working to become a regional arts center.

Architect Brent Martin said the renovation plans will change three areas. The ground floor will serve as a gallery space and host art exhibitions, house a sensory room, provide rental office space, an audio-visual studio, a coffee bar/lounge and a gift shop. The second floor provides space for traveling exhibitions and art galleries as well as an artist-in-residence apartment. The basement area would include additional classrooms and art studios, workshop studios, an art gallery and a student art gallery.

The total cost of the project is $8,239,100. The READI 2.0 grant applications require $2,100,000, including $1,906,000 in public donations and $6,334,100 in private donations. Martin told commissioners that the city of Plymouth voted unanimously in favor of a $1.3 million public game.

Commissioners said American Rescue Plan funds cannot be used as grant reimbursement. You also need an invoice and a supplier who will pay out the money.

Martin said they have an offer for a new roof on the building for $204,000. He said if commissioners wanted to allocate $180,000 for the new roof, the gallery could receive the rest of the funds needed for the project.

The County Commissioners supported funding for the rooftop project at the Heartland Artist Center and will provide a recommendation for support and funding to the County Council.