Evanston Made Building Project
After a long search, Evanston Made found a space to buy and make our headquarters AND a family foundation considering supporting the purchase.
If the family foundation approves the funding, Evanston Made will purchase a 5,000 sq foot building and open an Arts Incubator June 2025.
Evanston Made’s Arts Incubator will carry out the organization’s mission to bring visibility and opportunity to artists, with art studios, coworking and gathering space and art exhibits. Artists and creative entrepreneurs will be invited to create, show and sell their goods, attend professional development workshops and exhibitions.
The family foundation has three requirements with the grant application:
● A non profit community partner
● Private donor support
● Support from the City of Evanston (Funding for new Evanston Made HQ clears Economic Development Committee City Council approval is needed. Read Evanston RoundTable story here)
Non Profit Partner
Evanston Made will partner with the artist faculty of Northwestern University’s Department of Art Theory and Practice (ATP) to design a curatorial program of contemporary art exhibitions and events. Selected graduate students of ATP will be in residency in one of the artist studios, providing Evanston Made members and the community at large direct access to the creative practice of these emerging artists.
Private Donor Support
Evanston Made will launch a fundraiser to create a Matching Grant Fund of $1,200,000, to match the donation from the family foundation to cover the acquisition. The funds will be used to support the build out and first three years of operations. Contributions to Evanston Made are tax-deductible to the extent permitted by law, tax identification number: 84-3971750. Click here to make a donation in support of this project.
Support from the City of Evanston
Evanston Made is asking the City of Evanston for TIF money to fund 20% of the building acquisition rehab, $217,000. INFO evanstonmadebuildingproject.my.canva.site/tif-application-10-24
Update: Evanston Made’s request for a $217,000 investment to cover the building renovation was unanimously approved by the Economic Development Committee. City Council needs to approve funding next and votes on Nov. 11.
A really BIG thank you to all the community members for the powerful public comments and letters of support at Wednesday’s meeting; Alice George, Angela Williams, Beth Adler, Dickelle Fonda, Evan and Michael Girard, Gay Riseborough, Jevoid Simmons, Jim Parks, Iñigo Manglano-Ovalle, Mat Rappaport, Sandra Robinson, Thomas Ahleman.
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