Art and Culture Collective to reduce barriers, support emerging artists in Battle Creek

BATTLE CREEK — A new organization seeks to fill the gaps in leadership and infrastructure necessary to grow the arts industry in Battle Creek.

The newly formed Art and Culture Collective of Battle Creek (ACCBC) will serve as a foundation for sustaining art and culture in the city by supporting arts programming and providing marketing services, event planning and consultation, according to a release.

The collective is supported by nearly $350,000 in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding awarded by the city of Battle Creek and currently operates under the fiscal sponsorship of First Congregational Church while it seeks its own nonprofit status.

“We’ve reached a point where this city is searching for its identity, so we have an amazing opportunity to change the narrative that surrounds us," ACCBC Director Vania Word said in the release. "Cereal isn’t who we are, though it is an amazing part of our history. The truth is that we need something different. Who better to dream of a better and more beautiful world than those who speak the language of beauty — artists! It has never been a question of talent or lack of talent here ... We just don’t have an infrastructure or pipelines to support those creative professionals."

Word, a Battle Creek native and co-founder of Blvcksheep Record Label, applied for and received ARPA funding from the city by making a case that the arts economy had been devastated in the pandemic and needed financial help to recover and build resilience of Battle Creek’s music, culture and nighttime economy.

“What we need to do now is ensure that creatives and artists are seen as change makers and leaders and give them the opportunity to create opportunities unabashedly,” she said.

The collective is focused on developing opportunities for historically marginalized people — artists, creators andentrepreneurs who identify as disabled, Black, Indigenous or Persons of Color; those who identify as LGBTQIA+;and those who are Asset Limited, Income Restrained, Employed (ALICE) or living below the poverty level.

The membership organization, housed at 145 Capital Ave. NE, offers rehearsal and studio space for creatives,including a photography studio, co-working space, and editing suite.

“There are so many great ideas buzzing around within the group that is creating this,” local graphic artist Teaira Gray said in the release.

"The ACC will give artists a space to work," Gray's collaborator Duncan Holmes added. “Outside of people who go to school, not everyone has a space or environment to create/work. Just like how a basketball player needs a gym, artists need a studio.”

A library of arts equipment and software will also be available to members. Additionally, a curated online job board managed by the collective will match local HR departments with graphic designers, event planners and other creatives.

“The ACCBC will have those who truly care about bringing something new to Battle Creek and helping each other by offering a space to create, give/get advice, and so much more," Gray said. "I think it will grow to be a staple of our community and help make a huge impact on Battle Creek."

The collective has partnered to launch Qué Calor, a quarterly art mentorship/gallery series pairing developing artists with mentors, and will also work with Blvcksheep and Battle Creek Public Schools to introduce students to the arts as a career path through a forthcoming “Art Bash” event.

There will also be ACCBC open houses throughout 2023 encouraging artists and creatives to buildcollaboration in Battle Creek.

“Knowing other artists, especially locally, is important because… for me, some of the best art that I’ve created and the best art that I’ve witnessed and experienced came from a collaborative process,” area hip-hop artist Jaz Bolar said in the release.

More than anything, the collective wants to make Battle Creek a place that's sustainable for artists and creatives for years to come.

“This is a tremendous opportunity for the development of a whole arts and culture industry,” Word said. “Starting by encouraging children to consider being career artists, all the way through to realizing equity for artists, and Battle Creek having a reputation as a creative capital.”

For more information, visit artandculturebc.com.

Contact reporter Greyson Steele at gsteele@battlecreekenquirer.com

This article originally appeared on Battle Creek Enquirer: New collective to reduce barriers, support artists in Battle Creek