Studio 1219’s progress is remarkable
Posted February 03, 2007
Port Huron’s art incubator makes key cultural, economic strides.
Few, if any, of us look to the arts community for good economic news. That’s why Port Huron’s Studio 1219’s success is quite noteworthy.
The studio opened at 1219 Military St. in 2005. Port Huron received a $99,000 state Cool Cities grant the previous year that went to create the facility.
Studio 1219 was to serve as an incubator for the city’s nascent art community. The studio has succeeded. Its galleries are filled with the works of area artists, and its visibility as a cultural center continues to grow.
Moreover, Studio 1219 sold a record amount of artwork at the end of 2006. It netted more than $38,000 in sales from October to December, according to operations director Gwyn Atkinson. The last three months of 2006 also saw the art center garner more than $23,000 in patron fees for classes it offers.
It is easy to relegate visionary arts projects as frivolous. Studio 1219 is proving that it’s an integral part of Port Huron’s future.
The art center is earning its keep - and that does much to make Port Huron a cool city.
Note: This editorial was originally published in The Times Herald, February 3, 2007