KALAMAZOO, MI (WKZO AM/FM) – Following the dedication of the new Haymarket Plaza in Downtown Kalamazoo last week, the Arts Council of Greater Kalamazoo (ACGK) announced Monday that it will oversee its arts and cultural programming through a new partnership.
Haymarket Plaza is a 7,000-square-foot mixed-use space located behind Treystar’s Haymarket, Monroe, and Main Street East buildings on East Michigan Avenue.
The space features an $80,000 projection mapping system capable of turning a 40-by-78-foot section of the Haymarket Building into a canvas for community art.
The projectors can display art, announcements and entertainment on the northeast elevation of the Haymarket Building in the evenings. The space will also be available to rent in the future to host gatherings and private parties.
“On behalf of the Arts Council, I would like to thank the Monroe-Brown Family, Treystar, and the Haymarket Plaza Advisory Committee for creating the opportunity for artists and arts organizations to have a space for creative expression for our community to enjoy,” ACGK Executive Director Kristen Chesak said in a statement. “The Board of Directors saw this as a space for the activation of art and are fully supportive of any initiative that provides the ability for the community to insect with all the arts and culture Kalamazoo has to offer.”
Seeing the new venue as an opportunity for artists and arts organizations to have a space for creative expression, Chesak says the Council is fully supportive of the ability for artists to share their work.
“As part of the downtown social district, Haymarket Plaza provides another Art Hop stop and an additional venue for future events,” Chesak said. “We also appreciate the support of Downtown Kalamazoo Partnership and the City of Kalamazoo, now and in the future, their efforts will be joined with ours to keep this a vibrant and welcoming space for all.”
As operators and curators of the space, the ACGK will oversee arts programming in the plaza, which will run March through October on select weekdays and weekends as weather permits. The types of events planned for Haymarket Plaza include Art Hop, live music and theatre, a featured film series and cultural activities.
The Arts Council’s first utilization of the Haymarket Plaza will be next month’s Art Hop on Friday, October 1, beginning at 5 p.m. Nine artists will be featured in the plaza, as well as local musician Carrie McFerrin.
For more information about the Arts Council of Greater Kalamazoo, visit www.kalamazooarts.org.
