MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP - Meridian Township was recently awarded a $10,000 Public Art Grant from Lansing Economic Area Partnership (LEAP) with support from the PNC Foundation.

Parks and Recreation Director LuAnn Maisner said with this Public Art Grant, Meridian Township will be able to add a new installation to Marketplace on the Green, located at 1995 Central Park Drive near the Meridian Mall.

“Marketplace on the Green just opened last year, and we’re just looking for ways that we can add more charm to our community and we feel art is a definite path toward that,” Maisner said.

Maisner said they applied for the grant last year, but Marketplace on the Green wasn’t quite ready yet, so after reworking the application, they applied again this year.

“We were able to rework the application and Jane Greenway, from my team did a lot of work on the application and Amber was our connection with LEAP and their staff, and it was just a great team effort,” Maisner said. “We are so thrilled to be able to add another piece of art in our community.”

“I couldn’t be more proud of how well our parks department includes our community and includes the things that people are looking for to make great spaces,” Neighborhoods & Economic Development Director Amber Clark said. “They did a fantastic job with Marketplace on the Green.”

Meridian Township will launch a public Request for Proposals to seek artist submissions with the goal to complete the installation by fall of 2021. Bids for this project will be due by 3 pm Thursday, May 20.

Maisner said anyone in the Tri County area can send in art submissions and there is inspiration posted for anyone interested.

“We are a community that supports the arts,” Maisner said.