Block 62 Project
New Freeport Art Museum building shown from the corner of Exchange and State Streets
About the Project:
Welcome to the future home of the Freeport Art Museum located at the corner of Exchange and State Streets in the heart of downtown Freeport, Illinois. This much anticipated move will place the museum on the same city block as the newly developed Arts Plaza and will create a dynamic cultural campus with its proximity to the public library, the Lincoln-Douglas Debate square and Union Dairy.
FAM staff and board of directors selected Winter Design and Construction to provide the design and build of the project. The concept images shown throughout this page were created by Winter Design and were prepared to provide examples of the potential use of the space.
“Art is not a luxury.
Art is a precondition to success”
Progress Towards the Fundraising Goal
The overall fundraising goal the for the entire project is estimated to be $3,300,000. We have already reached our first milestone of $1,000,000 between gifts and grants. This allows us to begin work on the interior of the building such as removing the false ceiling on the second level to reveal the original bowstring trusses.
Location, location, location
The name of our project stems from its location on Freeport City block 62. The building occupies the entire lot 5 and when coupled with the Arts Plaza, the Freeport Art Museum now owns roughly three-quarters of the entire block 62.
ample space
The site offers over 14,000 square feet for exhibitions, classroom, storage, and administrative spaces. It has a large elevator and an associated parking lot. Our approach to the building’s renovation is to reveal its historic characteristics.
adaptive reuse
Block 62 is an adaptive reuse project, which refers to utilizing existing buildings in new ways. This is an attractive alternative to new construction in terms of sustainability and can add to the sense of community pride by preserving a historic space.
Multi-Purpose Event Hall
A dynamic space for all types of cultural events, art presentations, and casual gatherings - the multi-purpose event hall offers a bold new way to experience the museum. During large summer events such as Paint the Port, the space can open to the outside to welcome participants to check-in and pick up event supplies. When set for presentations and lectures, the room provides ample seating and contemporary audio-visual technology. Daily visitors to the museum can enjoy the hall as a welcoming space to engage with art and to share with each other.
Studio Classroom: Where Imagination Comes To Life
Step into the modern studio classroom. This open and airy classroom space will be a hub of creative energy for all ages. Equipped with functional built-ins to facilitate a variety of art practice, the studio classroom is where scheduled classes and activities take place and where daily drop-in creative stations offer museum guests opportunities to explore the arts, hands-on. A separate entrance and new garage door faces Exchange street, which allows the space to convert to small event rentals or after-hours events.
Construction continues this winter
Construction now moves to the interior of the building. A new passenger elevator will be installed where the existing freight elevator currently exists, and focus will turn towards the major mechanical and electrical aspects of the project.
We anticipate hosting more open house events to give you the opportunity to witness our progress firsthand. Until then, we hope you join us in our excitement for all the possibilities this project brings to our community. We will have more progress updates soon!
Ways to Give
The Freeport Art Museum offers donors several giving platforms and options for participation. Donations of cash, in-kind goods or services, or a combination of the two are gratefully accepted.
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Support the campaign with a direct monetary gift.
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Make a long-term impact by donating appreciated stock. Contact Jessica Modica via email at jmodica@freeportartmueum.org to receive the necessary bank instructions.
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Named gift opportunities are available for donations of $50,000 or more.
MAIN LEVEL
1st Level Main gallery - $250,000 Reserved
1st Level Multi-purpose Room - $250,000 Reserved
1st Level Classroom - $250,000
Main Lobby -$75,000 Reserved
Museum Store - $50,000
Kitchen - $50,000
Program Director Office -$50,000
Exhibition Director Office - $50,000
Ceramics Kiln Room - $50,000
SECOND LEVEL
2nd Level Main gallery -$250,000
2nd Level spotlight gallery -$250,000
2nd Level digital gallery - $200,000
2nd Level Conference Room - $100,000 Reserved
Gallery Workroom - $100,000
Executive Suite - $75,000
2nd Floor Lobby - $75,000
Assistant Director Office - $50,000
PROGRAMS
smArt After School program -$100,000
Annual Juried Exhibition $50,000
Aspiring Artists Exhibition $50,000
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Multi-year pledges are gratefully accepted for gifts of $15,000 and above.
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Interested in ways to double your impact? Matching grants, often referred to as challenge grants are a great way to encourage additional gifts towards the project. FAM is actively seeking challenge grants and gratefully accepts introductory matching gifts in the amount of $15,000 or more.
The museum will list open challenge grants here so check back frequently for updates!
If you are interested in starting a matching gift, please contact Jessica Modica directly at 815.801.9759 or via email at jmodica@freeportartmuseum.org
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The Freeport Art Museum, and the new building project, meets the eligibility for a Qualified Charitable Donations, or QCDs.
This means if you’re taking an RMD (required minimum distribution) you may be able to streamline the process and employ a tax-mitigation strategy by having your RMD distributed directly to the Freeport Art Museum.
Make sure to ask your wealth advisor or IRA representative for more information!
Thank You
We are grateful to these individuals for their generous support
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Anonymous Family Donation
Dr. Gerry and Mrs. Janet Haines
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Vanessa Hughes
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Robert Fagan
Bruce and Kathy Helm
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Michael and Pati Johnson
Kjellstrom Foundation
John and Janet Whiton
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Bruce and Christine Baldwin
Melinda Ferguson
Peter and Joan Flynn
John and Judy Graff
Bernard and Deborah Lischwe
Richard Luthin
Tim and Tonya Mahoney
NICAM
Marjorie Phillips
Bob and Elaine Plager
Howard and Linda Prestwich
Taylor Rockwell and Martha Wolf
State Bank of Freeport
Winter Construction
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Judith Daykin
Dennis Feltmeyer
Foundation for NW Illinois & Compeer Financial
Dianne Freeze
Martha Furst
Dick and Becky Lamm
Casey and Brenda Myers
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Richard Barkau
Phyllis Bergagna
Laurie and Butch Broughton
Jay and Georgann Castro
Dan and Bobbi Edler
Dan and Cindy Fishburn
Roger and Jane Goodspeed
Janet Heffner
Chuck and Lynn Jones
Cindy and Stan KasperDr. Edward and Mrs. Carol Maglietta
Doug and Mary Freidag
Timothy and Gabrielle Obrien
Jim and Judy Shankland
Nancy Smith
Robert and Sandra Smith
Alan and Julie Wenzel
Rick and Linda Wilson
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Marlene Boigenzhan and Bernard Hicks
Dan Brinkmeier
Kevin Grassa
Norman and Nancy Heyen
Hugh and Sarah Knapp
Dennis and Carolyn Kois
Shirley Ludwig
Jeanne Mordick
Sonia Nelson and Conrad Iandola
Howard Norman
Daniel and Nancy Schmitt
Nicholas and Claudia Smith
Seth and Shannon Wenzel
Mary Beth Whiton
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Helen Barrett
Jo Ellen Bergagna
Galen and Carol Bertram
Cindy and Ryan Bielefeldt
Stephanie Braming
Jane Buck
Bob and Erin Dahms
Dale R. Schmid, D.D.S., P.C.
John Dudkiewicz
John Eckert
Ruth and Larry Eilers
Marcy Folgate
Joe and Carolyn Mastroianni
Larry and Susan McCoy
Jaime and Amanda Meier
Ralph and Susan Norman
William and Sally Petersen
Rite-Way Furniture & Appliance
David and Lucy Roloff
Dean and Ann Sperle
Sandra Taylor
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Joy and Jon Wirth
Carl and Shirley Zulke
Jean Apgar
Wayne Conroy
Mark Fryer
Robert and Crystal Haddad
Jolene Jacobs
Amanda Meier
Nelda Worthington
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Phyllis Bergagna
Jo Ellen Bergagna
Stephanie Braming
Shirley Christensen
Christensen Home Town Realtors
Cynthia Petta Connell
Ruth Corbin
Judy Corman
Saundra Daniels
Barbara and Aaron Davis
Michael and Mary Davis
Bobbi Dykstra
Dianne Engram
Alice and Keith Evans
Marcy Folgate
Vicki Frank
Doug Freidag
Sheryl Fyock
John and Karla Guiffre
Karen Hart
Jeffery and Abbe Hayner
Mark and Carrie Helm
Peggy Hendrickson
Georgia Herman
Highland Community College
Tammy and Todd Hoeft
James Kerns
Stephen and Susan Lafferty
Lenora Luecke
Bill and Judie Mercier
Stephen and Susan Lafferty
John Mercier
Frank and Chris Munda
Judith and Lawrence Murphy
Dorothy Norton
Aubra Palermo
Michael and Susan Perry
Jeff and Margaret Richardson
Heidi Ruehle
Ida Saar
Jennifer and Jeffrey Schierer
Philip Schooff
Beverly Schone
Helen and Roland Shelton
David Shockey
William and Mary Sisler
Mary Sommise
Jack and Christy Sosnowski
Dennis and Sue Stephan
Elizabeth Street
James and Lynn Sutton
Helen Thompson
Erwin and Sandra Toerber
Priscilla Trunk
Sandra Tune
Ken and Sally Urban
Jacki Wall
Dean and Joan Welt
Julie Wenzel
Scott and Andrea Winter
Judy and Dick Wolfe
Kurtis and Shelly Zuck
Carl Zulk
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The Barkau Family
Ken and Julie Beach
Mark Beall, Sr.
Galen and Carol Bertram
Tara and Mike Csetter
Karen DiModica
Norene and Jack Farringer
Judy Garkey
Deanna Monte and Tana Dinges
Johanna Padilla
Angie Roque
Greg Stoltz
Marilyn Underwood
Stan and Meg Zuravel