WCOM NEWS

5-25-05

Miramar to seek $500,000 state arts grant

MIRAMAR--The city's proposed $13.9 million cultural center could receive $500,000 in state aid.

City commissioners recently voted to authorize staff to apply for the Florida Department of State Cultural Facilities Grant. Grant recipients will be announced in July 2006.

The grant would help with the Miramar Cultural Arts Center that is slated to be built adjacent to City Hall at the Town Center, which opened last August.

The grant could be used for seating, carpeting, stage equipment, lighting and sound systems in the performance theater.

The 48,000-square-foot building is in the design phase and would feature an 850-seat theater, three recital halls, a dance studio, arts and crafts rooms, two classrooms and a gallery for exhibits.

The grant requires that the city provide matching funds.

For the city to be eligible, the application "must document at least $1,775,000 of local matching funds available to the city," city records show.

To meet that requirement, the city plans to use $500,000 from the Broward County Arts Park Grant and $1,275,000 from the city's capital improvement plan budget.

"We're going to take the resolution and submit it with the grant package," said Vernon Hargray, an assistant city manager.

The city already has hired an architectural firm to design the center, which Hargray said is expected to open in September 2007.

(source) Sun Sentinel (Jodie Needle) 5-25-05