Elgin courts arts group

Elgin has a strong arts community, close proximity to transportation to Chicago and a proactive mayor and city council.

These are three aspects working in the city's favor as it works to partner with a Minneapolis-based group called Artspace to revamp a building and make it a panacea for at least 25 artists, group leaders said.

"The city's partnership is a huge part of what makes a project possible," said Wendy Holmes, Artspace vice president, consulting and resource development.

Holmes and Stacey Mickelson, Artspace director of government relations, visited Elgin Thursday at the request of Mayor Ed Schock.

The 29-year-old, not-for-profit group uses federal and state grants to convert neglected warehouses and old buildings into usable apartments, studio space, galleries and commercial use.

Only people who make less than 60 percent of an area's median income can live there, but the new population can increase visitors for art shows and spur new restaurants and coffee shops.

Schock said it's a concept worth exploring.

"We're looking at us and we're looking at them to see if there's a potential marriage here to benefit the arts in Elgin," he said.

Holmes and Mickelson met with city, community and arts leaders Thursday and toured at least four vacant buildings.

Even if Artspace partnered with the city today, a project would be about three to five years from occupancy because the group must wade through red tape to obtain grants. It never begins a project unless it's 100 percent financed.

More than 100 people, most of them artists, attended a meeting Thursday night at the Centre of Elgin.

Mickelson and Holmes outlined several success stories of the group's 23 projects in 14 states.

The primary goal for Artspace is to act as a vanguard for artists and to create sustainable space so they can collaborate with others and grow their work.

"We don't get into distractions of who lives in the building, just as long as they're creative," Mickelson said. "Our buildings are very much about open doors and everyone knows each other. It's Bohemian in nature."

Many in attendance were eager to hear Artspace's plan and believe there's definitely a need for a project in the Fox Valley area.

"There's a lot of kids out there that are really creative, but don't have the space. They don't convene," said Adam Sharani, an Elgin musician.