By Makaela Willis, Marketing & Owner Services Assistant
GreenTree Co-op currently has 12 Community Partners, and we wanted to let our Owners and community members know more about the local businesses that bring our Owners amazing deals throughout the community. Let’s get started with Art Reach of Mid-Michigan!
Art Reach is located at 111 E Broadway St here in Mt. Pleasant with a storefront, makers space, and art gallery. There is something there for every artist and art lover. Art Reach of Mid-Michigan is an arts organization, created in 1981, with the purpose of keeping the arts alive in our community. With the creation of events like Art Walk Central and Art Flair they have done exactly that! They offer a variety of art and cultural programs that touch the lives of tens of thousands of people.
I recently had the honor of interviewing Amy Powell the Executive Director of Art Reach of Mid-Michigan via email.
What is one thing you wished more people knew about your business?
“I wish everyone knew that Art Reach is accessible for everyone. Our store has an abundance of items, with hand crafted items starting at $3! When people shop at our store artists make money and future programming and outreach is made available. We love to help people make memories through shared experiences!”
What is your favorite thing about Art Reach?
“My favorite part about Art Reach is engaging with artists of all ages and watching the excitement from giving opportunities. We are dedicated to keeping the arts alive and accessible for everyone, and it is thrilling to see people engaging with us and our programs.”
What are some upcoming events?
Some of our biggest events are the Annual Arts Auction and Art in the Park. In the month of October we’re running a daily Art Contest that anyone can participate in. “We are always adding classes for adults, teens, and youth; folks are encouraged to visit our website for updated information.”
Stop in and check out all the handcrafted items at Art Reach’s storefront or take any number of classes that they hold every week for any age. To learn more, you can look on their website or look at the events page on their Facebook! I have enjoyed the gallery so many times and every time I walk by going to work, I see something new happening or there is a whole new display in their gallery. I also had the honor of performing a dance at Art Reach back in 2020.
I also created a banner for GreenTree at the beginning of the summer – a project that Art Reach coordinated for the community. You can see the banners of lots of businesses hanging on the lamp posts all over historic downtown Mount Pleasant.