The Urban Institute for Contemporary Arts (UICA) has announced plans to make a move to what used to be the Grand Rapids Art Museum until 2007.

In a press release, they say that UICA will relocate from its 2 Fulton West space to the Woodbridge N. Ferris Building, 17 Pearl Street, on the campus of Kendall College of Art and Design of Ferris State University, in Spring 2021. All in-person programming, which has been suspended due to COVID-19, will remain suspended until after the move to the Ferris campus.

UICA officials sat that after officials looked at programming University-wide, while also discussing the future with leaders at Ferris, and Kendall, they realized that the space downtown on Fulton St, was too big and costly for the University to keep being able to fund the operations.

The press release says they will immediately start moving things around and adjust the space at the Ferris building to start accommodating the UICA move.  Officials are excited to re-invent UICA's space which will include an outdoor space to highlight art to both students and the public. They also say their goal remains the same to "present the voices of those who have been oppressed, marginalized, and exploited by society."

According to UICA Executive Director Miranda Krajniak,

“We pledge to continue to work to recognize and act against the inequities that systematically hurt artists, neighbors, and diverse communities and to show work that reflects our entire community,”

 

“We look forward to enhancing our partnership with UICA and the arts in West Michigan," said Ferris President David Eisler. "The UICA plays an important role in the Grand Rapids community, and Ferris State University is pleased to see the relationship strengthened with Kendall College of Art and Design."

 

 

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