Future home of the Building Imagination Center
There is a great deal of excitement in Modesto about the Art Place grant to open a new art center in our community. In addition to several news articles featuring the Building Imagination Center (Modesto Bee, Central Valley Business Journal, Central Valley Business Times, James Irvine Foundation, ArchDaily), we have also received volunteer offers to participate in the program from civic leaders and the community- at- large.
The new Center will be located in the heart of downtown Modesto, next to several other arts organizations, including the 1600-seat Gallo Center for the Arts. Yet, despite its proximity to this regional arts attraction, the area in which the Center is located is currently half vacant. Currently the University is securing the lease agreement and all the necessary paperwork to help us to gain access to the building as soon as possible.
But, while the negotiations have been taking place in the background, we have been actively working in the foreground, getting bids from various contractors to provide services such as:
- Repairing the flooring.
- Installing track lighting and providing other needed electrical improvements.
- Repainting the existing walls.
- Constructing new walls for artwork.
- Securing furnishings.
- Purchasing video editing and display equipment.
In addition to addressing the physical remodeling of the existing site, we have also been busy:
- Launching our new website, BuildingImagination.com
- Implementing a mobile and online ticketing system for our events.
- Having our mobile phone App built by Apptology.com
- Defining the specific job responsibilities of every member involved with the Center.
- Posting employment opportunities, including a workshop leader / assistant to the Director position and several gallery assistant positions.
- Preparing PLAY, one of our current Building Imagination Initiative projects, for the San Jose Zero1 Art and Technology Biennial.
Naturally, this preliminary down time has led to a great deal of brainstorming and realistic ideation about how to make our space as functional and flexible as possible. Having different sections of the Center perform multiple uses is an absolute necessity, and making sure that we have the infrastructure there to support all of those needs is of paramount importance.
One of the primary needs of the space include a visual arts gallery. The Center will be the physical embodiment of the Modesto Art Museum, the only visual arts museum in the city. For the Museum to be able to offer historical and contemporary masterpieces for public viewing it must be able to provide a secure and professional location. Currently the Museum is arranging several exhibits for the Center, with the opening exhibit featuring architectural photographs, renderings, and models as part of the 5th annual Modesto International Architecture Festival. Accompanying this opening exhibit will be several community forums, lectures, tours, and the architecture festival’s opening night gala.
The Center will also be a hub of community activity through its Resident Filmmaker Program. This program is the cornerstone of the Center’s vision on creating real and permanent change in the community. The program will create a cycle of empowerment by having CSU Stanislaus students serve as the film crew for regional filmmakers. These filmmakers will work with local community groups to create short form documentaries about their community work. These films will create a personal bridge between the community, the students, and the filmmakers. In turn, the community groups, and the public at large, will be able to attend free video training workshops to increase their own marketable skills. Half of the resident filmmakers will be alumni from CSU Stanislaus, providing a reason for them to remain in the area after graduation. All of the staff employed by the center will also be either current students from CSU Stanislaus, or recent graduates.
The Building Imagination Center is planning its grand opening to coincide with the Third Thursday ArtWalk in Modesto, September 20.