Serving as a catalyst for community transformation through quality arts programming MICA serves as a catalyst for community transformation through quality arts programming. 2 3 he area known as Old Town is located on and supported by the Local Initiatives Support T a Native American trail along the Grand Corporation were held to frame the values, River in what is now Lansing, Michigan, identify key assets and develop a vision for which was charted and plotted by U.S. surveyors the district. A special effort was made to in 1825. The land was purchased in 1835 and 1836 engage a wide array of stakeholders from by several investors, including the New York land the neighborhood, including artists, property speculators James Seymour and Jacob Cooley. owners, business owners, residents, local and regional governments, the universities, historians, architects and other talents and OtherWise Art Gallery was opened in 1992 resources from around the state and country. as the organization’s headquarters. OtherWise During the visioning process, they named the showcased the works of artists from around the neighborhood Old Town, world. It hosted poetry events and for seven acknowledging its historical years was a venue for live concerts, featuring During the early 1980s young artists significance to the region the first public performances by many startup, discovered a neighborhood in The land was sold in 1845 to pioneers who and focused on developing basement and garage bands. Lansing that had the city’s highest built a sawmill and held religious services in the art, retail and creative concentration of historic buildings, a cabin. After the Michigan legislature in 1947 services sectors with an but had been mostly abandoned. In 1994 MICA produced its They began renting and buying decided to move the state capitol from Detroit emphasis on enhancing an first big music festival, the properties for studios, art galleries to Lansing the area grew rapidly. For another arts-centric community. Art & OctoberFest and in 1995 and performance space. In 1984, 100 years, the area flourished enriched with The organization also partnered with a group of these artists formed the addition with the hispanic community. But, Michigan State University's Center for its first Lansing JazzFest and the North Lansing Art Association like many American cities in the 1960’s and Community Economic Development to years later started Michigan (NLAA) which was renamed the Old 1970’s, the neighborhood began losing residents, conduct their first Community Income BluesFest. Town Business & Art Development businesses, and customers as more people moved and Expenditure Model Study (CIEM) to In 1995, MICA wrote a grant and obtained Association (OTBADA) to eventually to the suburbs. The area languished as many gain insight into the district’s income and funding from the National Trust for Historic become the Michigan Institute for storefronts, businesses, homes and buildings expenditure ‘leakages’ and begin to identify Preservation and the Local Initiatives Support Contemporary Art (MICA) with Corporation to enable Old Town to be among a mission to catalyze community became vacant and were abandoned and ways to grow and retain income. the first six urban Mainstreet communities in the transformation through the arts. boarded up. Between 1978 and 1990, artists and young United States. To manage the Mainstreet program, entrepreneurs started restoring many of the MICA helped start the Old Town Commercial district’s historic buildings. Association (OTCA) in 1996 and worked to obtain During the early 1990’s, visioning sessions funding from the City of Lansing and the Principal led by the Business & Art Development Shopping District to support the startup phase of Association, coordinated by MessageMakers the Mainstreet program. 4 5 During that same time and on the urging of A 501(c)3 federally tax-exempt nonprofit then Mayor David Hollister, MICA restored a organization, it has a robust volunteer base, set of three buildings, which included low and maintains stable volunteer leadership and moderate income loft apartments, a business provides programs for the benefit of the entire Awards: incubator, and offices, These buildings are now community. It is funded through the support of MICA has been a recipient of numerous awards: home for the Arts Council of Greater Lansing, sponsors, donations and grants. • Addy Awards MICA and MICA Art Gallery. For more than three decades, MICA has been producing music festivals, helping • Creative Community Award preserve and restore historic buildings, leading • Governor’s ArtServe Award community revitalization efforts, exhibiting • Michigan Association for Art Agencies Award visual artists, coordinating poetry, dance and other performances that engage, inspire, catalyze and demonstrate the vitality and value of the arts community and the vibrancy of the urban centers as a great places to play, MICA is recognized for innovative work and live. programming and is a recipient of numerous awards including the Governor’s ArtServe Award, Festival & Events Association awards, Addy awards, the Creative Community Award and many more. MICA’s mission – to create open spaces where people can come together, meet old friends, make new friends, and in the context of the arts take action to bring about positive community transformation. 6 7 MICA Art Gallery MICA is known as an arts, performance n the 1970s and 1980s, local artists were and music event organizer, a business I attracted to the neighborhood by its historic incubator, and a community builder, structures as well as its affordability and several but it has more humble beginnings as renovated buildings to create studio spaces and a simple art gallery in a rundown urban art galleries, establishing pockets of renewal in neighborhood. the neighborhood. In 1992 the gallery was originally established as OtherWise Art Gallery by Barbara Morris At MICA Art Gallery, monthly exhibitions (a co-founder with Robert Busby of Two Doors feature emerging and established fine artists with Down Gallery) and Terry Terry. In the early an emphasis on Michigan artists who work in a 2000’s it moved across the street and changed wide range of mediums and whose work is often its name to Banyan Art Gallery and now is known experimental and include social commentary. as MICA Art Gallery. MICA Art Gallery is home to the Lansing Since 1984, MICA’s art galleries have been Poetry Club and provides a stage for Renegade a hub for community gatherings and creative Theatre, Dance Lansing, and Capital Ballet experiences. Theatre performances and is a regular meeting and training space for the Arts Council of Greater Lansing. During the annual ‘Chalk of the Town’, the gallery is host to children's art activities. The gallery is also available to rent for special gatherings such as receptions, fundraisers, graduation parties, bridal showers, meetings and more. The gallery’s exhibitions and programs in the visual arts, music, performances, film and poetry serve to educate, entertain, and inspire. 8 9 Quartet, Organissimo, Fareed Haque, Aguanko, Paul Keller Orchestra, Tony Monaco,Arlene McDaniel, On a warm summer weekend, ince 1995, during the first weekend of and streamed. Attendance at times has reached Mighty Funhouse, Etienne Charles, Elder Kelly, Michigan JazzFest is the August, the Michigan JazzFest turns Turner around 7,000. Sunny Wilkenson, Ron Newman, David Rosin, place to make new friends S Street in Lansing’s Old Town into a stage and Around 2010, MICA began a partnership with Ray Kamalay, the OtherBand, Mardra & Reggie and enjoy the winding auditorium for one of the largest, most diverse, the Jazz Alliance of Mid-Michigan (JAMM), and Thomas, Montez Coleman, Grupo Aye, T.S. Monk, melodies and complex polyrhythms of original and longest-running jazz festivals in Michigan. As features their annual award-winners at the festival. Wes Anderson, Bill Heid, Tenth World and many American music! jazz has a diverse range of styles and sub-genres, Notable performers have included: Mose others. touching nearly every culture for over 100 years, Allison, Nicole Mitchell, Eric Reed, Stanley Jordan, Michigan JazzFest also features food and the festival continues to draw the most diverse Marcus Belgrave, Straight Ahead, Planet D Nonet, craft vendors and a beverage tent called The audience of any Michigan festival. Professors of Jazz, Terrell Stafford, Francisoco Turnaround Lounge. Families bring their children Michigan JazzFeat features multiple Mora, Tumbao Bravo, Johnny O’Neal, Oquestra to the KidzBeat area to play in the Instrument stages on Turner street and in various indoor Ritmo, Ramona Collins, Tim Cunninham, Betty Petting Zoo and are given lessons from musician locations, including local nightclubs and other Joplin, Michael Kaeshammer, Los Gatos, Greater performers. In addition music workshops for Old Town venues. Performances are recorded Lansing Symphony Orchestra, Dave Sharp Worlds adults are conducted by guest performers. 10 11 ach September in Michigan’s Capital City Mandville, Alberta Adams, Toronzo Cannon, (CABS) and offers multiple stages on the street E Turner Street becomes stage to one of James Harman, Frog & the Beeftones, and in various indoor locations, including Michigan’s biggest and longest running outdoor Thornetta Davis, W.C. Clark, Junior Watson, local nightclubs and other Old Town venues. blues music festivals – the Michigan BluesFest, Carl Weathersby, Johnnie Bassett & the Blues Attendance at times has surpassed that of featuring such artists such as Reverend Insurgents, Big Willy, Kathleen & the Bridge Michigan JazzFest. Raven, Larry McCray, David ‘Honey Boy’ Street Band, Grove Council, Cee Cee Collins Michigan BluesFest, like JazzFest has food At Michigan BluesFest one can Edwards, Eric Culberson, Jimmie Stagger, Stan and many, many more. Multiple outdoor and and craft vendors, a beverage tent, KidzBeat groove and dance to the soulful Budzynski & 3rd Degree, Lady Champagne, indoor stages, the festival is also recorded and music workshops. sounds of heartfelt blues and even Root Doctor, Chris Canas, Sugar Ray and the and streamed.