In the press
3/18/2005
From Friday’s Times Leader:
Arts center may include kids, history
Cultural Council of Luzerne County wants to expand scope of proposed art hub.
By RENITA FENNICK rfennick@leader.net
WILKES-BARRE – The scope of the downtown arts center proposed by the Cultural Council of Luzerne County could be expanded to include a children’s science museum and a touch of local history, council chairwoman Shelley Pearce said.
"We're leaving all of our options open as far as size, scale and governance," Pearce said. "There is a possibility, and that depends on the feasibility study, that we may also include elements of the historical society and the children’s science museum concept that the chamber ahs been working on. That would truly be a cultural center."
The Greater Wilkes-Barre Chamber of Business & Industry has been promoting the idea of a downtown museum for years. Its latest plan is to incorporate an interactive museum and learning center into the multi-million -dollar Susquehanna River Landing project.
Combining the arts center and the museum is an option, Chamber President Steve Barrouk said. He is waiting to review the results of a recent study on the feasibility of a museum with the chamber board. "We strongly support a cultural center and also encourage the development of a new museum in Wilkes-Barre," Barrouk said. "We’ll review those results (of the museum study) with the board shortly. The two could be complimentary to one another. Incorporating them together would depend on what building is chosen and how much space is required for the arts center."
The council's primary goal is to establish a non-profit arts center that would include a performance area, seating for up to 300 people, gallery, large exhibition area, café, catering facility and gift shop, Pearce said. The council is working with local colleges, community groups, the Greater Wilkes-Barre Chamber of Business & Industry and Artspace Projects, Inc., to secure a location.
Artspace, a Minneapolis-based organization that helps communities create affordable space for artists and arts organizations, also is helping Scranton with a live-work complex for artists. Chris Velasco, vice president of consulting and new projects for Artspace, gave a presentation in Scranton Wednesday that showed there is strong support for the project.
Pearce said she was hopeful after attending the Scranton meeting. "The results of their (Scranton) study are significant to us because the survey was done within a 150 – mile radius and many of the artists that responded are from our county," Pearce said. "The fact that the results of the survey were so positive bodes very well for us in our feasibility."
Artspace plans to begin a feasibility study of the proposed Wilkes-Barre arts center and is scheduled to hold several events April 27-28 for community and business leaders, artists and the general public.
"This is sort of what Scranton did last year," she said. "We’re essentially just one year behind them."
