Mundelein officials again considering an arts center

As Mundelein’s reputation as an arts-loving community grows, village officials have revived an on-and-off discussion about creating a hometown cultural arts center.

Trustees informally backed the concept following a public presentation last week. But they also voiced concerns about the potential cost of such a project.

“This is really cool and I would love to support it, but … are we outkicking our coverage here?” Trustee Kara Lambert said. “Is this something that’s not feasible because we don’t have the economic means to support it?”

Mundelein has embraced public art for decades. Village-backed projects have included painted cows, stars and utility boxes. There also are murals in the downtown area and sculptures in Courtland Commons park and other public places.

Mundelein’s arts affinity goes beyond paintings and sculptures. The village is home to a long-running community theater group, the Kirk Players.

Mundelein Senior Planner Colleen Malec — liaison the volunteer Mundelein Arts Commission — and Community Development Director Amanda Orenchuk led a roughly 30-minute discussion about an arts center during the village board’s Sept. 22 meeting.

Cultural activities like the outdoor dining scene on Park Street and public events there and elsewhere in town and have contributed to “a stronger sense of identity and hometown pride” in Mundelein, Malec said.

These events and the public art installations attract people and become community symbols — as well as sites for what Malec called “Instagram moments.”

The activity also has spurred private economic investment, Malec said.

But Mundelein doesn’t have a dedicated facility for visual art exhibitions or artistic performances. Trustees have entertained the idea of a local arts center at different locations through the years, but projects never got off the ground.

In 2022, the board pledged up to $300,000 in taxpayer funds to help launch an arts center within the Archer Business Center, a village-owned building on the 100 block of Archer Avenue.

The building is the site of the upcoming Lure of the Local art exhibition, which opens Oct. 17. But as Malec told the board, the Lure of the Local show is without a permanent home despite being in its fourth year.

A public survey conducted after the 2024 Lure of the Local show revealed people support the arts and creating a public arts space, Orenchuk said. The respondents were far from unanimous, however. Some called the arts a waste of public money, she said.

Mundelein officials need to determine if the village government is an arts and cultural organization or just an advocate for the arts, Orenchuk said. If they want to be an arts organization, she added, officials need to determine their level of financial commitment.

One option would be operating an arts facility that would have occasional events, light staffing and possible managerial partnerships with community groups, Malec said. Or, the village could launch a facility with near-daily activities that would have greater staffing, operational needs and costs, she said.

Trustee Tony Ugaste is among those who favored the less-intense approach. The center could grow over time, he said.

Trustee Jennifer Grieco agreed, suggesting a center could be developed in phases to keep it financially feasible.

The village was awarded an $850,000 grant to help pay for an arts center if officials proceed, Orenchuk said.