Perhaps this morning’s early snowfall across Michigan’s Great Southwest was simply a celebratory way to mark a new state grant to aid in the presentation of the forthcoming Winter Delights Festival at the Lake Michigan College Mendel Center.
At any rate, the Mendel Center has been awarded a grant totaling $8,166 from the Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs (MCACA), in support of the Winter Delights Festival being held there on Saturday, February 29, 2020.
The Mendel Center grant was awarded through a peer review process and was one of eight Berrien County arts organizations to be awarded funding. Organizations receiving an MCACA grant are required to match those funds with other public and private dollars.
Grace Kelmer, Director of the Mendel Center Mainstage, says, “We are thrilled to receive funding support for the Winter Delights Festival from Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs. This event celebrates the performing, visual, and culinary arts that are so important to our region.” She adds, “We thank the State of Michigan and our elected government officials for valuing the arts and the resulting connections that enhance the quality of life in southwestern Michigan.”
Winter Delights Festival will feature two music stages, local visual artists, and craft beverage and food makers from Michigan – all indoors at The Mendel Center on the Lake Michigan College campus in Benton Harbor. Planned activities include:
- Three concerts by nationally touring musical acts in the 1,559-seat Mainstage theatre. Musical acts will be The Reminders, JigJam, and Six Appeal Vocal Band.
- Master class workshops led by two of the Mainstage acts
- Taste Faire & Music Stage in the newly renovated Grand Upton Hall. The Taste Stage headliner is local favorite Bryan Lubeck.
- Up to 20 visual artists with their art on display and for sale throughout the building.
The Southwestern Michigan Tourist Council, The Boulevard Inn & Bistro, and 98.3 The Coast are sponsors of the 2020 Winter Delights Festival.
The MCACA peer review process allows for each grant application to be competitively considered by a panel of in-state and out-of-state arts and cultural professionals. That ensures the taxpayers, who support this project through legislative appropriations, and all other visitors and residents in Michigan will have access to the highest quality arts and cultural experiences.
A complete list of grant awards around the state is available by contacting MCACA at (517) 241-4011, or by visiting the MCACA website at the link below:
http://www.michiganbusiness.org/community/council-arts-cultural-affairs/
Tickets for the Winter Delights Festival and all other Mendel Center Mainstage season performances are available at this link: http://www.TheMendelCenter.com
The 1,559-seat Mendel Center Mainstage Theatre offers state-of-the-art acoustics and comfortable seating in elegant surroundings. Amenities include free parking, handicap accessibility, and an array of services including catering and bar service for private pre- and post-show events, child booster seats, assistive listening devices, non-spill cups for beverages inside the theatre, and premium seats in the Stage Side section.
The Mendel Center is located on the Lake Michigan College campus at 2755 E. Napier Avenue in Benton Harbor one mile east of I-94 (Exit 30) and one mile west of the US 31 Bypass (exit 24).
