WEDNESDAY, Nov. 13 — The best way to tap into what a child is feeling is to hand them clay. That's the philosophy of the team at REACH Studio Art Center anyway.
The community art studio is hosting a launch party today, Nov. 13, at Alt Printing Co. in REO Town to celebrate the final installation of a six-year renovation project: a clay studio. The event has no cover and guests are encouraged to screen-print and bind their own handmade notebook.
Runabout Coffee will be selling its home roasted brews and donate 20% of its sales to the art center. While the event is free, any donations received will help the studio reach its $45,000 goal.
“At the end of 2003, I had this vision to start a community art space for youth and underserved youth,” said Alice Brinkman, the owner of REACH. Brinkman had the vision of creating a community art space in 2003 while an art instructor in Lansing Public Schools.
“I saw how impactful art was for kids, and how it gave them a chance to express themselves. At the time, there wasn’t a place in Lansing for kids to come and do art.”
The party marks the official kickoff of the studios crowdfunding campaign which goes through Dec. 14. The $45,000 goal could receive a one-to-one match from a Community Foundation Grant.
So far, the art center has raised $180,000 of the $275,000 necessary to finish the studio through grants and pledges. The space started as a parking lot playground with a tiny clay studio, but the space has flourished into a vast green space surrounded by multipurpose studios.
“This is the final renovation that I will be involved with, maybe one day some future person will decide to expand and make REACH University, but I will be happy to be finished with facility development and ready to enjoy the fruits of the labor and focus on expanding our programming,” Brinkman said.
Launch Party for REACH
Wednesday, Nov. 13
6-9 p.m.
Alt Printing Co.
1139 Washington Ave., Lansing
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