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Group aims to build Iowa City arts center called ‘the ArtiFactory’
IOWA CITY - The non-profit Arts Iowa City wants to construct a facility dubbed the ArtiFactory in downtown Iowa City or nearby in the Riverfront Crossings district.
'The whole idea is to start an arts center, a 20,000 to 25,000 square foot community arts center,” said Patricia Knox, an Arts Iowa City board member and former board president. 'It's long overdue.”
The building is estimated to cost around $6 million, Knox said.
Knox said Arts Iowa City plans to collaborate with other organizations.
'What we're working toward is a building which provides access for the whole community for arts education, all skill levels and ages, and a variety of disciplines such as metals, ceramics center, woodworking (and) photography,” Knox said.
The vision includes space for private studios, a sales gallery and a cafe, she added.
In order to introduce artists to the community, and stress the need for an arts center, the organization is offering 'Art in the Afternoon” seminars at Beadology in Iowa City. The first one, on Sunday, featured Jo Myers-Walker, and focused on watercolor techniques.
'It seems like there is a void in our community around a community arts center,” said Karen Kubby, co-owner of Beadology. 'We are a community of artists, we're the City of Literature; we have printmakers, dancers and potters.
'I don't have cash to give ArtiFactory, but I do have some space, so I thought that it would meet their needs to have some programming to make sure people understood their efforts and the variety of artists that are in our community,” she added.
The next Art in the Afternoon seminar, from 2 to 4 p.m. March 20, will feature a ceramist.
Rebecca F. Miller/The Gazette Artist Jo Myers-Walker demonstrates different ways to paint bird feet on Sunday during the first of a series of artists talks and clinics hosted by Arts Iowa City and the Artifactory project at Beadology in Iowa City. Arts Iowa City hopes to build a permanent art center near downtown. Myers-Walker is an artist living in Iowa City who has worked in media ranging from painted clothing to sculpture to watercolor. She ran a studio in Gilbert, Iowa and taught at Iowa State University and participated in shows by the American Craft Council before deciding to move to Iowa City. She currently teaches art to teens through Four Oaks. 'Art has helped me through some tough times,' she says, 'and I want to share that.' Her murals are exhibited in downtown Iowa City and her works can be seen around the area.
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