Courtesy Photo
A parade makes its way through downtown Rogers City during the city’s Nautical Festival in this undated photo provided by the Rogers City Main Street Downtown Development Authority.
ROGERS CITY — Rogers City Main Street Downtown Development Authority will bring a weeklong mural festival with international, national, and local artists to create five new public art installations to downtown Rogers City through the anticipated success of a new crowdfunding campaign.
The Michigan Economic Development Corp., Rogers City Main Street, and the Rogers City Downtown Development Authority announced the campaign, which is being offered through the Michigan-based crowdfunding platform Patronicity.
If the campaign reaches its crowdfunding goal of $50,000 by June 15, the project will win a matching grant with funds made possible by MEDC’s Public Spaces Community Places program.
For project details and to donate, visit patronicity.com/MoM.
“Murals on Main will be an incredible source of inspiration and beauty in Rogers City,” said MEDC Regional Prosperity Managing Director Paula Holtz. “We are pleased to support and provide resources for this project through our Public Spaces Community Places program.”
Murals on Main is a mural festival spearheaded by the Rogers City Main Street program and includes professionals with backgrounds in art, design, law, marketing, events, finance, and entertainment. The group is raising funds to bring in national, international, and local artists to activate unused walls at five locations in downtown Rogers City.
The Murals on Main Festival will be a weeklong celebration with events, opportunities to engage with the artists, do some artwork of your own, and watch the murals take shape. The project was inspired and mentored by the Bright Walls Festival in Jackson, a previous Public Spaces Community Places-supported project. The model of public art generating economic development showcases how arts and festivals drive economic vitality and create a more vibrant and resilient downtown.
“Rogers City’s Murals on Main will have a huge positive impact on our community, bringing visitors from far and wide to enjoy world-renowned artists’ paintings,” said Rogers City Mayor Scott McLennon. “The murals will be completed; events and entertainment will be ongoing for all to enjoy during this multi-day festival! It’s all about building vibrancy within our downtown.”
Public Spaces Community Places is a collaborative effort of the MEDC, the Michigan Municipal League, and Patronicity, in which local residents can use crowdfunding to be part of the development of strategic projects in their communities and be backed with a matching grant from MEDC.
Communities, nonprofits and other business entities can apply at patronicity.com/puremichigan.
“Arts and cultural events like this mural festival in Rogers City are a great way to bring a community together,” said Dan Gilmartin, CEO and Executive Director of the Michigan Municipal League. “Shared experiences like this help a community grow and thrive, and not just from an economic standpoint. It provides the community with opportunities to learn about one another and the world around them.”
The Public Spaces Community Places initiative started in 2014 with MEDC providing matched funding of up to $50,000 for community improvement projects throughout Michigan. As of April 10, MEDC has provided more than $12.4 million in matching grants.
Since the launch of the program, 374 projects have been successful in reaching their goal, with more than $14 million raised from 68,683 individual donors. Communities have a 97% success rate in achieving their goals and earning matching funds.
