Millbrook launches arts tourism initiative

And Soon To Open A New Cultural Arts Center

anae Morgan has turned on the Millbrook art scene since she joined the City as cultural arts and special events director to boost local tourism and manage a new arts center on Grandview Avenue. Her hire, which took place last April, is a key factor in the development of a town center area for economic benefit, cultural arts and special events, Mayor Al Kelley said.

“Art tourism is a growing industry.

Danae will not only take our existing events to another level but also introduce new programming that will involve art, music, festivals, performances and more,” Kelley explained.

Morgan brings more than 23 years of arts administration experience to the new position. As Montgomery’s cultural arts director and executive director of the Arts Council of Montgomery and director of the Armory Learning Arts Center, she in a restored historic home.

Her timing couldn’t have been better. About 18 months ago, the City purchased a small three-bedroom home adjacent to the Millbrook Civic Center and close to City offices. The original plan was to tear down the house and use the large lot for parking; instead, the building is being renovated to provide exhibit space for local artists, as well as classrooms for art and music programs.

“It will be called The Art Mill. It’s near the site of an old mill,” Morgan said in early January. “Everything has been freshened up inside. It’s been painted, and we installed new lighting that will showcase the art exhibits in the three main rooms. We’ll start on the exterior this month, and we hope to have the ribbon cutting in February or March with classes starting in March.”

The grand opening will include a wine and cheese reception featuring some 150 pieces in an Elmore County Art Guild exhibit. Rotating exhibits will keep the gallery content fresh and ensure that visitors will have reason to return often.

Bedrooms in the 1600-square-foot center have been converted to creative spaces for children’s art classes, oneon-one lessons and small group activities. The garage will be set up as an indoor/outdoor pottery room with a kiln, pottery wheel and ample shelving for projects. Morgan said she’s building a list of people who could teach at the new center.

The large yard will host yoga classes, plein aire painting opportunities and elegant weddings in the shade of moss-laden oldgrowth oak trees.

“We’re very close to the creek, and we’re hoping to create a creek walk on Mill Creek. The whole complex with the park will be a walkable space,” she explained. “Millbrook is a new city. We don’t have a historic downtown, but everything we’ve done is growing. We want to bring quality of life to the community. We want it to be fun and colorful and invoke creativity.”

Morgan will expand existing local events, such as the annual Mardi Gras celebration, as well as bring new festival projects to the community. She also will coordinate the growth of the farmers’ market and will promote the town’s murals to local residents and visitors. She will foster partnerships with community groups, nonprofits, schools, businesses, foundations and cul - tural organizations.

Executive Director of the Millbrook Area Chamber of Commerce Brenda Dennis said the area will stand out as a place where people want to live, work and visit with Morgan’s help.

“It’s like having a vitamin shot to the city’s overall economic health,” Dennis said.

In addition, Morgan will promote the city’s murals. Earlier this month, the City appropriated funds for a mural grant project to promote art tourism and economic development. Recipients will be reimbursed up to $6,000 after a 20 percent match of the total project cost has been met.

“Mural programs in other cities have proven to create jobs, attract investments, generate tax revenue and stimulate local economies,” Mayor Kelley said.

Businesses within city limits will be eligible to apply for the grants, which will be awarded based on property requirements, location and proposed content.

“Murals aren’t just about slapping paint on the side of a building. They’re about bringing communities together to tell a shared story; and then, sharing that story with the rest of the world,” said Dennis.

For Morgan, who is passionate about her adopted hometown and the potential positive impact of arts programming, the mural grants and The Art Mill are steps in the right direction.

“Momentum has been building here for a while,”