Augusta, Old Brick partner with city for ‘Elkinspire’
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ELKINS -- Elkins City Council has committed to supporting part of a proposed grant project headed by the Augusta Heritage Center and the Old Brick Playhouse that will "promote vitality and excitement downtown."
Augusta and the Old Brick have asked for and received the council's support in a grant proposal idea that could receive federal funding if approved by the National Endowment for the Arts. The grant is called "Our Town" and allots between $50,000 and $100,000 with a 50% match that can either be in-kind or in applicant cash. Both Augusta and the Old Brick have proposed using part of their salaries and the support of volunteers for matching funds.
"It's a collaboration between nonprofits and the city," The Old Brick's Executive Director Missy Armentrout McCollam told The Inter-Mountain when asked about the grant. "The idea is that it will boost the economy, encourage people to stay downtown, showcase artists and celebrate heritage and place."
The proposed project is called "Elkinspire" and will involve the creation of five movable, 3" by 3" vaudeville stages that will be placed throughout downtown Elkins, and the installation of brand new solar Italian streetlights throughout the downtown streets to encourage foot traffic, especially in the evenings.
The stages will be built, painted and stored by the Old Brick and will be placed downtown for regular, scheduled street performances, including live jugglers, music, interactive characters, puppets and dancers.
McCollam said the stages will be painted very elaborately in a carnival-like aesthetic, but will also feature colors that are conducive to downtown theming.
"I've always had this affinity for street theater," McCollam said. "I just love it. I loved it as a child. My dad sold lumber in Europe so we traveled a lot and I'd see street performers, street puppeteers. And I am just enchanted by that, and nowhere around here does that. It'd be among the few in the country that have actual buskers."
The new overhead Italian streetlights will be used to guide visitors and locals to attractions, shops, restaurants and bars while "adding to the local aesthetic," according to the explanation letter sent to the City Council.
"Elkinspire" will also include various local artists creating outdoor, interactive public art installations that can be changed seasonally, and an online interactive map that will guide visitors to the Vaudeville stages and the interactive installations.
The City Council has committed to providing "in-kind services" that will help with the installation of the new lighting. These services will include city workers working for a projected maximum of two days for the light installation.
"…Council finds that it is in the best interest of the citizens of Elkins to join this grant application and commit support and assistance as requested," the approved resolution said.
According to the explanation letter sent to the City Council, Augusta and The Old Brick say that the lighting system would be draped on the outside edges of the sidewalk and will cost approximately $25,000, which will be paid for by a portion of the grant, if awarded. The letter also states that the light will work on solar power, eliminating large utility costs for the city.
McCollam said that, if the project is approved by the National Endowment for the Arts and the grant is given, "Elkinspire" will be launched with a Street Buskers Festival using the new features.
She also stated that if local events, such as the Mountain State Forest Festival, the Ramps and Rails Festival and more, would like to use the "Elkinspire" set-up, they would have a template ready for the event coordinators to use.
"That template will involve where the best places to put the stages are, the public art displays, the virtual map that shows where everything is and a list of approved artists who can put a hat out and perform," McCollam said.
The project proposal was sent to the National Endowment for the Arts on Aug. 15 and announcements about the grant are expected to go out sometime in 2025.