Long a part of plans for the Las Cruces Arts and Cultural District and, more broadly, to help Las Cruces become a serious hub for the arts, artist live/work spaces are one step closer to becoming a reality in New Mexico’s second largest city.
Creative industries in Washtenaw County add hundreds of millions of dollars to the local economy. In the weeks and months to come, 89.1 WEMU's David Fair and co-host Deb Polich, the President and CEO of Creative Washtenaw, explore the myriad of contributors that make up the creative sector in Washtenaw County.
Early this fall, I teamed up with Stantec to photograph their recent restoration AND new construction projects in the Pullman Historic District. Their charge was to renovate and restore two historic buildings while constructing a new one between them. This trio of buildings at 11143 S Langley Avenue is now the Pullman Artspace Lofts – affordable live-work spaces for artists. With this project, Stantec delivered 38 new homes for a variety of artisans. The ground floor of the new building features a public art gallery and studios for residents, too!
El Barrio’s most available resource for economic development are our underutilized theaters, and the underemployed artistic talent available in the Latino community. I urge our political leaders to fund the creation of a Latino Theater District in Spanish Harlem. Considering the enormous cultural and economic effects an operating theater district can have on El Barrio, isn’t it time to “Build back” a better East Harlem?
A swath of broad potential actions may help support the space needs of Napa’s creatives. That’s according to the Creative Space and Local Manufacturing Action Plan, which was presented to the Napa City Council plan last week.
Cassano said: “I found myself in a tough spot and really needed a soft place to land. Artspace did, for me, what it is designed to do. I needed a safe, secure space that allowed me to maintain my art practice and affordable living while I figured things out..."
