Written by Tanya Terry, with featured photo by Tanya Terry
Featured photo: 12-year-old Amani Hollins
The Greater Flint Arts Council held its grand opening celebration on Friday, September 11, featuring a ribbon cutting ceremony, open house, art activities, performances and an evening art exhibition. Greg Fiedler, president and CEO of the Greater Flint Arts Council, opened remarks and recognized key contributors to the project, including elected officials, board members, construction partners and funding organizations.
He highlighted that the arts council’s strategic plan had remained unchanged for 20 years due to the building project.
Notable contributors recognized Charles Stewart Mott Foundation, the Uptown Reinvestment Corporation, and Communities First, Inc.. The Charles Stewart Mott Foundation provided a major grant of $1.25 million. Previously the arts council was a beneficiary and participant alongside other projects under the state’s Revitalization and Placemaking (RAP) Program, which brought in a total of $10.25 million in revitalization support to downtown Flint.
Fiedler described the renovated building’s new spaces, including a theater for performing arts, a dance studio, flexible program spaces, a pop-up gallery, a fully equipped recording studio and the GFA underground basement for film screenings.
Additional speakers included a representative from the Michigan Economic Development Corporation, Michele Wildman, who emphasized the importance of placemaking in economic development and noted the project’s competitive selection among $1.5 billion in statewide applications.
Andrew Younger, the executive director of the Flint & Genesee Chamber (a division of the Flint & Genesee Group), presented Greg Fiedler with a certificate of appreciation from the business community.
During the open house, 12-year-old Amani Hollins, a sixth-grade dancer learning jazz, hip hop, liturgical and ballet through Heart of Worship Dance Studio, praised the expanded dance studio space. Although the space does not belong to Heart of Worship, the studio’s owner said she would like to utilize it for a second location. Hollins provided demonstrations in the new dance studio of how the space could be utilized.
“I like the big space because we can do a lot, and I like the mirrors,” Hollins said.
Gloria Watson, a Flint resident, artist, and administrative assistant at the Greater Flint Arts Council, discussed her work and the impact of the council’s renovations. Watson focuses on African American folk art and creates various forms including mosaics, acrylic paintings and sculptural pieces using wood and mixed media. She emphasized that the renovation will benefit her ability to communicate with art groups about events, activities and available spaces at the council, while making it easier to promote art education and various artistic activities to the community.
Watson expressed excitement about seeing artists and community members engage with the expanded facility, noting that people are inquiring about new offerings and opportunities. She stressed that the Greater Flint Arts Council serves everyone, not just self-identified artists, and that art functions as a unique form of communication and stress relief.
She also highlighted that African American folk art helps people reflect on history and understand how things have changed over time.
Brenda Glasschild, a yoga and dance instructor who previously performed professionally studied dance at the University of Michigan and performed in New York, as well as worked on cruise ships and on Caribbean island theatrical shows, also expressed enthusiasm about the new multidimensional arts space.
“I’m really impressed with this space,” Glasschild said. “It’s such a beautiful thing. And we really need something like this in Flint, like kind of a medium where people can come and explore art and music and theater – and performing arts. Dance also. Yes. So. I can really see this space being beneficial to the community. And I’m looking forward to maybe offering yoga here and also dance, maybe ballet.”
