Artists to get their space in Elgin

The "if" is done.

Now, the Elgin area and others need to help Artspace with the "how."

The Minneapolis-based group has chosen Elgin for its second Illinois project to create a co-op for artists.

What put the city over the top?

"Leadership, a vision, a drive - those were all the big indicators," said Stacey Mickelson, Artspace director of government relations, Thursday before a meeting with artists and community leaders. "We had a gut reaction in our first visit here that told Wendy (Holmes, Artspace vice president of resource development) and I this was the place."

The 29-year-old not-for-profit group has 23 projects in 14 states. Artspace uses federal, state and local grants to convert neglected warehouses and old buildings into apartments, studio space, galleries and other commercial-use spaces.

Tenants must earn less than 60 percent of Kane County's median income to qualify. Apartments are a bit larger so artists can create there, too. The building is self-sustaining and the artists help bring businesses and foot traffic to the area for exhibits.

"It's not an Artspace project that changes the neighborhood; it's the artists in the building that change the neighborhood," Holmes said.

Added Mayor Ed Schock: "It really makes me feel good when I think of the potential of having an Artspace in Elgin."

The group and city plan to ink a contract in a month or so to bring such a facility to Elgin, hopefully by late 2011 or early 2012. In the meantime, officials want artists to complete a survey at www.ArtspaceElgin.org by Sept. 18 to help them gauge how many residential units to build and how much to devote to galleries and studios.

"We want to build what's right for Elgin, based on results from Elgin," Mickelson said. "We want to fulfill the vision and wishes of the city."

Artspace won't begin a project until it has secured 100 percent financing, which means groundbreaking won't happen until 2010. They haven't chosen a site yet.

In March, Artspace representatives came to Elgin to visit with city officials, business leaders and artists. More than 130 artists attended a forum, the group's largest turnout ever.