The Block

Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs provides support for The Block

Muskegon, Michigan, September 20, 2018—The Block has been awarded a grant of $16,250 from the State of Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs (MCACA). The grant was awarded through the MCACA peer review process and was one of 561 applications to compete for MCACA fiscal year 2019 funding.

Organizations receiving a MCACA grant award are required to match those funds with other public and private dollars. Corporate support of the project included Consumers Energy, Eagle Alloy, Grand Valley State University, Hooker DeJong, Huntington Bank, Lake Michigan Credit Union, Lorin Industries, Mercy Health, Nichols, and Shoreline Insurance Agency, among others.

The Block’s mission is to be Muskegon’s musical third place, an anchor of community life and broader, creative interaction—with music as its central medium.  Located in downtown Muskegon, The Block is a modern, intimate performance space in a restored 1890 building that boasts state of the art lighting, sound and electronic equipment; a beautifully restored 1971 Steinway B grand piano; and an outdoor deck made with recycled materials. Its 12-concert core series includes classical music by members of West Michigan Symphony; and jazz, folk and world music featuring artists from Michigan and the surrounding Midwest. It is also used for music education activities and made available to community groups for meetings and other activities. Since its inception in 2013, The Block has produced nearly 150 events serving more than 7,000 people.

The MCACA peer review process allows for each grant application to be competitively considered by a panel of in-state and out-of-state arts and culture professionals. This ensures the taxpayers, who support this project through legislative appropriations, and all other visitors or residents in Michigan will have access to the highest quality arts and cultural experiences.

A complete list of grant awards around the state is available by contacting MCACA at (517) 241-4011, or by visiting the MCACA website at www.michigan.gov/arts.

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