The recipient entity's physical address:
           1515 Dalrymple Drive
Baton Rouge, LA 70808

The recipient entity's mailing address (if different):
           1515 Dalrymple Drive
Baton Rouge, LA 70808

Type of Entity (for instance, a nonprofit corporation):  Non-Profit Corporation

If the entity is a corporation, list the names of the incorporators:
          James Burke, Edgar Dayries, Paul Dufour, Caroline Durieux, John Goodheart, Russell Guirl, Timothy Carr Howes, Jim Jeansonne, Edward Pramuk, Shirley Resnikoff, Janice Sachse, and Don Thornton

The last four digits of the entity's taxpayer ID number:  2632

What is the dollar amount of the request?  $750,000

What type of request is this?  General Appropriation

Is this entity in good standing with the Secretary of State?  Yes

Provide the name of each member of the recipient entity's governing board and officers:
           Phillip LaFargue, Chairperson, 1927 Olive St. Baton Rouge, LA 70806
Sarah Kracke, Chair-Elect, 255 Beverly Drive, Baton Rouge, LA 70806
Shea Vela-Vick, Treasurer, 4666 Woodside Drive, Baton Rouge, LA 70808
Jasmin Johnson, Secretary, PO Box 80142, Baton Rouge, 70898
Matt Morris, Artist Liaison, 5239 Houston Drive, Baton Rouge, LA 70809
Leonard Augustus, 2154 Cherrydale, Baton Rouge, LA 70808
Daniel Bergeron, 1480 Kenmore Ave., Baton Rouge, LA 70808
Danielle Burns, 721 Napoleon St., Baton Rouge, LA, 70802
Malaika Favorite, PO Box 428, Geismar, LA 70734
Tanja Foil, 426 W. Woodgate, Baton Rouge, LA 70808
Sarah Gardner, 520 Westhaven Blvd., Baton Rouge, LA 70808
Robert Harrison, 1509 Government St. Unit 1509, Baton Rouge, LA 70802
Randell Henry, 1208 Oriole St., Baton Rouge, LA 70807
Landon Hester, 1479 Arlington Ave., Baton Rouge, LA 70808
Michael Howes, 1505 Stuart Ave., Baton Rouge, LA 70808
Amy James, 7524 Don Budge Ave., Baton Rouge, LA 70810
Brad Jensen, 204 Hearthstone Drive, Baton Rouge, LA 70806
Canette Liddy, 742 Druid Circle, Baton Rouge, LA 70808
Kristen Macmurdo, 1566 St. Rose Ave., Baton Rouge, LA 70808
Peter Mars, 758 St. Charles Drive, Baton Rouge, LA 70802
Chelsea Norris, 869 S. Eugene St., Baton Rouge, LA 70808
Kenneth Pointer, 18981 Santa Maria Drive, Baton Rouge, LA 70808
Camile Silva, 2785 E. Lakeshore Drive, Baton Rouge, LA 70808
Kristine Thompson, 3125 Wilshire Drive Unit B, Baton Rouge, LA 70806
Jason Andreasen, President and CEO, 9624 S. Riveroaks Dr., Baton Rouge, LA 70815
Gwen Palagi, Development Director, 272 Steele Blvd., Baton Rouge, LA 70806

Provide a summary of the project or program:
           In concurrent planning efforts by both Baton Rouge Gallery (“BRG”) and The Parks and Recreation Commission of East Baton Rouge Parish (“BREC”), an opportunity has been identified to expand upon the physical space currently occupied by BRG, located inside City-Brooks Community Park. The organization has grown over the past decade and routinely welcomes audiences for events in excess of 400-500 attendees, despite having less than 2,800 sq. ft. of public exhibition space. It hosts new exhibitions monthly, serves primarily Louisiana-based artists, and is dedicated to connecting artists and audiences in mutually beneficial ways.

BRG has been a staple of the cultural community in Louisiana’s capital region for more than 55 years, having hosted hundreds of exhibitions and thousands of events over that time. It has been instrumental in the development of the arts community locally and has had a positive impact on the state as well. The limitation of BRG’s current physical space is stunting its ability to further grow services and programs that would greatly benefit Louisiana residents. It also limits the number of residents who can access its services, almost all of which are open to the public without admission fees.

As it continues to evolve as a contemporary art center, BRG has begun to supplement its work with local artists by staging high quality exhibitions featuring nationally- recognized artists and curators. In August 2022, the organization hosted an exhibition of works by artist Matt Kenyon (a Baton Rouge native now living in New York) which saw more than 750 attend the opening reception. With increased exhibition space and amenities, such a show could be presented concurrently alongside artists working in our state, drawing more attention to local culture and giving area residents and visitors more to get excited about and engage with.

BRG has been located inside BREC’s City-Brooks Community Park since 1984 and has become an important part of the area. Its proximity to LSU’s campus as well as Baton Rouge’s Mid-City and downtown areas make it exceptionally positioned to serve as a hub for the city and its connection with local art. With the investments already made around the University Lakes and the BR-NOLA Inter-City Rail projects, there is a unique and timely opportunity to amplify the positive outcomes expected. The establishment of a major contemporary art center adjacent to these projects (and others already completed, such as the Knock Knock Children’s Museum) will make the area a more attractive destination, serving as a cultural and recreational campus for young professionals, families, tourists, school groups, and diverse audiences of all ages.

BRG is requesting $750,000 to support the planning and design of a contemporary art center in the heart of Baton Rouge that will allow for increased and improved services for artists, visitors, and residents. This space would include a variety of amenities including but not limited to enhanced exhibition space, educational offerings led by professional/teaching artists, a mixed-use lecture hall space, a café/restaurant, and a museum-quality store. This space will continue to elevate our capital region, make it a more attractive and enjoyable place to call home, and bolster Louisiana and Baton
Rouge alike.

What is the budget relative to the project for which funding is requested?:
          Salaries. . . . . . . . . . . . . $80,000
          Professional Services. . . $660,000
          Contracts . . . . . . . . . . . $0
          Acquisitions . . . . . . . . . $0
          Major Repairs . . . . . . . $0
          Operating Services. . . . $0
          Other Charges. . . . . . . $10,000

Does your organization have any outstanding audit issues or findings?  No

If 'Yes' is your organization working with the appropriate governmental agencies to resolve those issues or findings?
          

What is the entity's public purpose, sought to be achieved through the use of state monies?
          The funds being requested will be utilized to envision an exciting and engaging contemporary art center in the heart of Louisiana’s capital region. The establishment of a first-class contemporary art center, as has been seen in similar-sized cities across the nation, can have wide-ranging positive outcomes that benefit both the residents and visitors who frequent such a venue and the broader region as a whole. Such a venue can help foster community through its events, empathy through its programs, and civic pride through what it makes possible.

Furthermore, the correlations between a thriving art community, economic development, and the ability to attract and retain talent have been well documented the world over, across decades of research and practice alike. As Baton Rouge continues to grow as the capital city of arguably the most culturally rich state in the nation, it has a unique need for a contemporary art center on par with similar metro areas across the state and the region. Establishing such a space will foster an improved quality of life for residents while also encouraging cultural tourists – who tend to stay longer and spend more than the average tourist - to include Louisiana in their itinerary.
 
In 2022, The Baton Rouge Area Chamber (“BRAC”) conducted a study specifically examining BRG’s own economic impact. Even while looking solely at event- based offerings taking place at BRG, BRAC found that it contributed over $8 million in impact over a ten-year span. Beyond that, BRG realized $5.03 of economic impact for every dollar of revenue over that same period (compared to an average of roughly $2.55 for U.S.-based nonprofits). By expanding the space and amenities available and allowing for the evolution of a true contemporary art center, Baton Rouge and Louisiana stands to see exponential growth of this economic impact.

A bustling contemporary art center can be part of the equation that helps make Baton Rouge, and Louisiana in turn, a more competitive landing spot for young professionals and families choosing where they want to live. As we continue to move towards times when people choose where to live based not on where their job is located but based on
where they want to be, having a cultural amenity like a contemporary art center can help close the gap between our area and those places our best and brightest often choose to move to (which all have spaces like the one these funds will help make possible).

What are the goals and objectives for achieving such purpose?
          The funds being sought will allow for a thoughtful and comprehensive planning process that will include architectural plans, a feasibility study, related staffing costs, and more. It will also allow for small research trips to visit successful contemporary art centers in similar-size cities, allowing us to interface with their facilities and staff, seeking input on how they navigated both the creation of their space and its subsequent operation. In all, this process will facilitate the realization of a thoughtful, practical, and conceptual roadmap leading directly to the foundation of a 21st century contemporary art center in Louisiana’s capital city.

The goal will be to design a facility that is welcoming and engaging. One that can host robust and diverse cultural programming that connects audiences with Louisiana-based artists as well as viewpoints from well beyond our state. Ideally it will also build bridges between our state’s artists and the larger national cultural environment. It will aim to also be a resource for local artists by way of professional development and for area students via contemporary cultural experiences that connect the larger world with our area.

This space will also aim to bolster arts education in our area by way of ultimately employing teaching artists in a way that challenges young residents of Louisiana’s capital region. With educational and studio spaces, and access to a wide array of local artists (as a result of BRG’s 57-year foundation in its local arts community), it would have the opportunity to not only put students in front of artworks, but in front of the people who made them. Allowing them direct access to the artist - to hear from them, to ask them questions – in addition to offering creatively challenging artistic exercises, could have a profound impact on their understanding of themselves, their community, and the world.

A central goal for this space will be accessibility for all with a cost-free admission program during normal operating hours/days. This venue and the programming it makes possible will be intended for all to engage with and enjoy. Removing the barrier of a regular admission fee will allow audiences from every background and zip code to be,
and hopefully feel, welcomed in the space.

It will be the goal of the project to create the roadmap for a cultural asset that can leverage the power of art to build community, foster understanding, celebrate diversity of thought, and make Louisiana’s capital region stronger.

What is the proposed length of time estimated by the entity to accomplish the purpose?
           12 months

If any elected or appointed state official or an immediate family member of such an official is an officer, director, trustee, or employee of the recipient entity who receives compensation or holds any ownership interest therein:
     (a) If an elected or appointed state official, the name and address of the official and the office held by such person:
                
    
     (b) If an immediate family member of an elected or appointed state official, the name and address of such person; the name, address, and office of the official to whom the person is related; and the nature of the relationship:
                

     (c) The percentage of the official's or immediate family member's ownership interest in the recipient entity, if any:
                

     (d) The position, if any, held by the official or immediate family member in the recipient entity:
                 

If the recipient entity has a contract with any elected or appointed state official or an immediate family member of such an official or with the state or any political subdivision of the state:
(a) If the contract is with an elected or appointed state official, provide the name and address of the official and the office held by such person: 
               

(b) If the contract is with an immediate family member of an elected or appointed state official:
          Provide the name and address of such person:
              

          Provide the name, address, and office of the official to whom the person is related:
               

          What is the nature of the relationship? 

(c) If the contract is with the state or a political subdivision of the state, provide the name and address of the state entity or political subdivision of the state:
                

(d) The nature of the contract, including a description of the goods or services provided or to be provided pursuant to the contract:
               


Contact Information
name:  Jason Andreasen 
                                       address:  1515 Dalrymple Drive, Baton Rouge, LA 70808
                                       phone:  225-383-1470
                                       fax: 
                                       e-mail:  jandreasen@batonrougegallery.org
                                       relationship to entity:  President/CEO