FINE ARTS LEAGUE RECEIVES LCRA GRANT FOR RENOVATIONS
The Brenham Fine Arts League will be able to renovate its art center thanks to a $39,550 community development grant from the Lower Colorado River Authority and the City of Brenham.
The art center has been the primary provider of art lessons for children and adults in Brenham since the 1950s. Workshops offered at the center attract art instructors and students from around the state, and help to promote tourism in Washington County. The renovation will allow the art center to better promote visual arts in the community and surrounding areas.
“We are excited because the grant will enable us to upgrade our facility,” said Ollie Schiller, president of the Brenham Fine Arts League.
The art center on Alamo Street in downtown Brenham is in a three-story, historic home built in 1907. It serves as a multi-use facility with classes, workshops and meetings conducted in the same area in which art is displayed. The grant will fund the labor, materials and supplies needed to renovate and upgrade the space to create two distinct areas – a gallery and a studio.
“By having a dedicated studio space, we will better accommodate our expanding number of instructors and students,” Schiller said.
The renovation will create a better environment for teaching and creating art, with less distraction from visitors viewing the gallery. The separation of space will allow multiple events to occur simultaneously, creating a positive economic impact for the league, neighboring businesses and the community in general.
The studio space currently includes multiple rooms. The renovation includes knocking down walls to create a large studio. The remodeling project also includes enlarging and upgrading the restroom to comply with Americans with Disabilities Act access guidelines. Any new lighting, plumbing and electrical work will incorporate energy-efficient materials.
The community grant is one of a number of grants recently awarded through LCRA’s Community Development Partnership Program. The program provides economic development and community assistance grants to cities, counties, volunteer fire departments, regional development councils and other nonprofit organizations in LCRA’s electric and water service areas. The program is part of LCRA’s effort to give back to the communities it serves. The City of Brenham is one of LCRA’s wholesale electric customers and a partner in the grant program.
Applications for the next round of grants are due Jan. 31. More information is available at www.lcra.org/cdpp.
The Art Gallery is a ‘Jewel’ in our beautiful downtown Brenham….so happy they can make it even better !!!