Mark Keith Balser-Dietzer, Director
LET THERE BE LIGHT
27 Commerce Street, Suite 4-B
New York, NY 10014-5752
SLR-7-PHOTOS
February 7, 2014
Editor-In-Chief
Elwood Call-Leader
317 S Anderson St. Elwood, IN 46036
RE: Press Release - The Digital Arts Centre :
Gentleperson:
Mark Keith Balser-Dietzer would like to announce the forming of The Digital Arts Center . The planned
location for this venture is a 25,000 sq.ft. 1966 Art Deco Building located in Anderson, IN. at 1100 Broadway. Originally it was planned that The 1904 Carnegie Library Building located in Elwood, IN would be available, but that venture failed for lack of support by the local residents. The 1899 Elwood City Hall was also considered, especially the third floor Theater Space and the Dome but that proved to be unworkable due to access problems. marKeith hopes to make this a center of cultural activity for everyone, with an Art Gallery, a Fine Arts Photo Gallery, a working Photo Studio, several Computer Workstations, with free instruction, Private Office Suites for lease, and Conference Room Space. This is not a Senior Citizen Card Playing Location. There may be a Music Rehearsal & Recording Studio in the Lower Level. A room will be provided for social, self-help, Recovery Programs including AA, NA, OA, and HA, a new group marKeith is organizing for Hoardaholics Anonymous. If anyone has a suggestion for additional funding these activities going forward please get in contact with marKeith. All suggestions are welcome. marKeith can be reached at The Carnegie Cultural Centre ’s phone number SRL-7-PHOTOS, or at POBox 0101, Elwood, IN 46036-0101. The Digital Arts Centre will be operated on a membership basis, open to all, and will house The Carnegie Camera Cabaret , and new groups, The Carnegie Computer Court and The Carnegie Cinema Circle . It is being setup as a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit corporation. The telephone number is SLR-7-PHOTOS. It is marKeith’s intension to make this a living, breathing, building, a fit successor to past occupants were first housed in the building. Music, featuring Jazz and Blues along with Classical will be played from a selection of 40,000 pieces, focusing on the period of the 1920’s - 1950’s. These are from original CD’s, collected over the years, and not just downloaded from the Internet. A foundation, The Avery, Balser, Clifton, Dietzer Foundation, aka The ABCD@EF Trust, Inc., is being formed to help fund the operation of The Digital Arts Centre , but marKeith will also be seeking grant money from various available sources such as the Madison County Gaming Commission. Mark Keith Balser-Dietzer will be providing seed-money for the foundation in the form of his real estate holdings in the amount of approximately $1,000,000. While The Anderson Fine Arts Center obtains some of its operating funds from the Indiana Gaming Group, it raised $2,500,000 in private money for its restoration work, which included installation of a new heating and cooling system and an elevator. They kicked off their fundraising campaign with a grant of just $500,000 from a couple living in Anderson. marKeith will make little change to the building exterior, but the stonework needs cleaning and re-pointing after having been neglected for a number of years. The building has been vacant for most of the last two years. While this work does not add to the value of the building, it is a necessary maintenance activity. Of course, the windows and doors need maintenance and the landscape and sidewalk areas need attended to. Possibly a new sign will be erected shortly to identify the building. James Wilson, a lawyer, and Gwen Casteel, head of her real estate company, have agreed to serve on the board of directors. They are seeking additional board members to serve with them. marKeith realizes that handicap access is an important consideration, for a public use facility and fortunately the building appears to have addressed these needs. The Carnegie Library Building was lacking in these details. All efforts will be employed to insure that this access continues. There is adequate parking on the premises with a ramp leading to the rear entrance. The Oils and Lithos Gallery will be housed in the private space so as not to conflict with the Anderson Fine Arts Center. The main photo gallery will be surrounded with small separate areas for additional viewing. It will be furnished in the International Style of the 1930’s with furnishings designed by Mies Van der Rohe. There will be a working Photo Studio set up in the lower level space. The ceilings throughout the building are fourteen feet. The Business Suites Office, to be housed in the building will be offered at a favorable rate for startup businesses. Other space will be made available to visiting business professionals, on a fee basis; it will be furnished with desk, telephone, computer and printer facilities. A Photo Gallery and Conference Table will be in the building. There will be Computer WorkStations installed in the lower level, with both Apple and HP computers along with several printers. There will be a Private Area set aside for the Director/Curator. The Gallery Space will be made available to local artists and works may or may not be offered for sale at the discretion of the artist. There will be no charge for this display area, but a commission will be charged on all sales. Work must be of appropriate subject matter, but marKeith has no desire to censure. A display of the local glassworks is planned. There will be a display in the outer lobby, honoring various notable photographers from over the years. If anyone has any history on the occupants of this building, or old photos, we would appreciate hearing from you. Sincerely,
marKeith
