For Immediate Release
Media Contact:
Matthew Bizoe
Marketing & Events Manager
269.983.0271
Krasl Art Center Reopens this weekend - Receives 2021 Operational Support from Michigan Council for the Arts and Cultural Affairs.
No-appointment-needed weekend hours allow opportunities for the community to explore KAC.
JANUARY 14, 2021. St. JOSEPH, MICH. - Krasl Art Center (KAC) reopens to the public on Friday, January 15, and will remain open Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays and Mondays from 11 AM - 5 PM with a welcoming new look thanks to a 2020 grant awarded by the Michigan Council for Arts & Cultural Affairs (MCACA). 

Guests have the opportunity to explore Artists as Influencers: Pathways in Glass and Shelter in Place in the artlab until January 24. Join KAC for the next exhibitions, KAC Members’ Show: Inspired By... in the main galleries & local ceramist and KAC teaching artist Jennifer Zona in the artlab January 30 - March 28. Visit krasl.org for more information and how to apply to be part of the exhibition and register for free programs.

Krasl Art Center has been awarded a 2021 grant of $24,000 from MCACA. The grant was awarded through the MCACA peer review process and was one of 597 applications to compete for fiscal year 2021 funding. This grant supports Krasl Art Center’s general operations.

Organizations receiving a MCACA grant award are required to match those funds with other public and private dollars. KAC’s matching dollars include individual donations and corporate sponsorships.

The MCACA peer review process allows for each grant application to be competitively considered by a panel of in-state and out-of-state arts and culture professionals. This ensures the taxpayers, who support this project through legislative appropriations, and all other visitors or residents in Michigan will have access to the highest quality arts and cultural experiences. 

A complete list of grant awards around the state is available by contacting MCACA at (517) 241-4011, or by visiting the MCACA website at www.michigan.gov/arts. 

As KAC reopens, guests will experience updates in the lobby and a new community lounge that were made possible by a 2020 MCACA grant. Using this grant, KAC was able to source many items locally through Matt Luxem at Metro Business Interiors in downtown Benton Harbor, MI. When not shopping local, KAC chose items from organizations that support environmentally sustainable practices.
New Tables & Chairs for Individual and Collaborative Projects
KAC’s Community Lounge is a multipurpose space featuring flexible furniture that allows for visitors to comfortably work remotely, participate in a workshop, or meet with friends. For such a multi-use space, KAC also needed art supply storage in the tables to easily adjust the room for any kind of activity. With the support from MCACA, KAC purchased mobile tables (complete with built-in storage and display racks) and chairs from Scandinivian Spaces, and adjustable-height, custom-built bistro tables for small groups and independent work from the Michigan-based company, Enwork.
New Seating for Conversation & Quiet Reflection
With the new expectations surrounding COVID-19, KAC’s original plans to create quiet, personal spaces for the community became even more important. KAC started rethinking how they use spaces after the pandemic, and reassessed whether or not the original plans for the community lounge would be accessible. KAC reached out to the Chicago Cultural Accessibility Consortium for recommendations. Through their discussions, KAC found new seating designed specifically for support, cleanliness and durability. New sofas have arms that double as a work surface, making them a perfect addition to KAC! And a comfortable new lounge chair with matching table and ottomans mimics the shapes and folds of the Richard Hunt sculpture, Rising Crossing Tides, outside.
New Shelving to Feature Local and Regional Artwork
New black shelves in The Shop at KAC were intentionally chosen to highlight rather than distract from artwork for sale by regional artists. The shelves easily convert between displaying 3D and 2D art. The company that provided the shelves has a commitment to "preserving the environment and ... breathing new life into reclaimed materials."
About Krasl Art Center:
Krasl Art Center is a nonprofit art museum and learning center that enriches the lives of people living in or visiting Southwest Michigan by delivering enlightening art experiences through diverse education opportunities, meaningful events, and high quality exhibits and collections. KAC’s mission is to inspire meaningful change and strengthen community through the visual arts. To learn more, visit krasl.org.
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