City Council could vote on program at May meeting

The City of Georgetown is developing plans for an art center that could go into the historic fire station at 816 S. Main St. if the project is approved by City Council, which could vote on the issue in May, possibly at the May 22 meeting.

Library Director Eric Lashley, who serves as the staff liaison for the Arts and Culture Board, said the ultimate goal for the art center is to take up residence in the police department building at 809 Martin Luther King Jr. St. after the building is vacated in 2014.

In the meantime, the pilot program is designed to determine if an art center can thrive in Georgetown, Lashley said. It could start in late 2012 after the fire department administration relocates to Fire Station No. 5.

"We want to show that we can do [an art center] in a small facility before we tackle something even bigger," he said.

Pilot program

Around the same time that the political action committee was formed to support the bond election for the public safety operations and training facility in 2011, Lashley said the Arts and Culture Board began a feasibility study for an art center in Georgetown. The board looked at other nearby towns with similar venues such as Round Rock and Salado.

The project gained momentum with the passing of the bond election in May 2011, and the board approved a business plan for the art center on Jan. 17. According to the pilot plan, the city would partner with a nonprofit arts organization that would manage the center for one year.

The city would be responsible for paying for renovations to the building. At a March 27 City Council workshop, Deputy City Manager Laurie Brewer said preliminary estimates were $150,000 for interior improvements and $25,000 for signage.

Potential funding sources included downtown Tax Increment Reinvestment Zone funds, which are a portion of property taxes collected in the downtown area that go into a special fund for downtown projects. Other sources are Hotel Occupancy Tax funds or money collected from the sale of city buildings.

Lashley said some of the improvements would need to be done to the fire station regardless of whether the art center moves into the space so that it is useable for the city. The proposed renovations are designed so that the space could be used for other things after the art center is gone.

Gary Wang, principal of Wang Architects, worked to develop conceptual designs that would incorporate the historic nature of the building, which dates to 1892. After looking at old photos of the building, Wang said he wants to unveil the stone walls and wooden joists in the ceiling that are covered.

"The idea is to bring it back to its original archeology on the interior," he said.

One of the purposes of the art center is to provide gallery space for local artists to display their work.

"The library's gallery space is filled up two years in advance," Lashley said. "I know that the healing arts gallery at the hospital is always filled up. We have other galleries and different businesses and galleries on the Square that show art, but it's a real need to have more gallery space here in Georgetown."

The proposed center would also have instructional and workshop space that could be used for children's activities, an afterschool program, summer camps, a meeting room and studio art projects for all ages. Lashley said the plans focus on visual arts at this point because there are other venues in town for the performing arts, although small musical performances could be held at the center.

Plans also include a gift shop that could generate revenue for the project. The art center would also be a visitor's center for the arts community, providing information about all the arts activities in the city.

"We want to encourage people to know what's happening in Georgetown in the arts scene," Lashley said.

After the city sends out a request for proposals and chooses a nonprofit organization to partner with, the group would provide volunteers to staff the center, organize and provide instructors for classes, raise funds and apply for grants.

The program would be evaluated after 10 months to see if it was meeting the measurements outlined for it, which include having enough volunteers to operate the center 180 hours per month, receiving at least 2,000 visitors a month, creating a positive perception in the community and holding one artist show per month.

Lashley's proposal says that the art center would raise enough money to be entirely self-sufficient the second year of operation so there is no cost to the city beyond maintenance costs.

If the project is approved by council, the tentative timeline is for the art center to move into the building by November.

The arts in Georgetown

Lashley said the city's 2030 Comprehensive Plan calls for the city to create more art venues, and part of the Downtown Master Plan includes the development of an arts and culture district, making the development of an art center a natural function of the city.

"We're just doing what the plans that we've done in the past call on us to do," he said.

Georgetown Art Works is a nonprofit organization that was founded about six years ago to try to create an art center in Georgetown. Jane Estes, a member of the board of directors, said since that time, the nonprofit has focused on growing the arts and bringing more awareness to artists in Georgetown so that the community would be ready when an opportunity for an art center arose.

"You have to have something to put in an art center," Estes said.

Main Street Program manager Shelly Hargrove said the city has been exploring more arts projects since July, when a market study of downtown Georgetown by IF Marketing & Advertising revealed the arts as one avenue to draw people to the city, both as tourists and those looking to make the city their home.

She said the Main Street program recently completed a brochure for a sculpture tour, and the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce's Art Alliance, an initiative she is a part of, is planning an art gallery tour for November.

Lashley said an art center would be a focal point for an already thriving arts community.

"We believe Georgetown is really at a tipping point for becoming an arts and culture destination," he said.

The arts around town

Georgetown Art Works — This is the sixth year for the nonprofit organization, which holds the annual Art Hop, a juried art show held in October. Also, it co-sponsored a banner project that is displayed around the Square. www.facebook.com/georgetownartworks

Williamson County Art Guild — Founded in 1976, the guild has 125–150 members who are interested in promoting and participating in creative visual arts and crafts. President Lowana Carter said the guild meets 10 months out of the year at the Windberg Art Center, 7100 N. I-35 and also has art exhibits in locations in town including The Framer's Gallery, Abbey's Home Furnishings, St. David's Hospital and The Wesleyan at Scenic. www.wcartguild.org

Festival of the Arts — This summer marks the eighth year for the Festival of the Arts in Georgetown. The 2012 festival, "une fte franaise," runs from May 31–June 3 and is a festival of French music by composers Claude Debussy, Maurice Ravel and Francis Poulenc performed by internationally known artists. A children's concert is also planned for May at the Georgetown Public Library. 639-0433, www.gtownfestival.org

Georgetown Symphony Society — The Georgetown Symphony Society contracts with music organizations and musicians to bring concerts to Georgetown. The 2012 season will be the 13th season for the organization, and there are seven concerts planned, including one from the Round Rock Symphony Orchestra and a performance by the Vivace Youth Orchestra. 864-9591, www.gsstx.org

Georgetown Chamber of Commerce Art Alliance — The Art Alliance's purpose is to assist the art community by creating more opportunities for artists who are small-business owners, to sell and exhibit their work as well as fostering the community so more artists want to come to Georgetown. Chair of the Art Alliance Mike Martin said the Art Alliance has teams that work on promotion, education and developing venues for the arts. The alliance is also developing a guide to the arts in Georgetown. 930-3535

Southwestern University Fine Arts — Southwestern University has about 50 fine arts events per year, which include musical performances, theater productions and art history lectures. All the events are open to the public, and many are free. 863-1379, www.southwestern.edu

The Georgetown Palace Theater — The theater, 810 S. Austin Ave., leased an additional 3,200 square feet of space April 2 at 218 W. Eighth St. to use for its ongoing children's workshops. Upcoming performances in this season include "The Dixie Swim Club," "The Buddy Holly Story," "Annie Get Your Gun" and "A Chorus Line." 869-7469, www.georgetownpalace.com