Lansing - Year 1 | The Fledge

We started moving the Fledge to 1300 Eureka, Lansing, MI on March 15th, 2018 (the day we closed on the sale). We were sad to leave the Grand Ledge Location, the art on the walls, the energy, the memories, the people who would not follow us to Lansing. We were also excited to see if the new location would work. Would the Fledge thrive in Lansing? Would we be more effective? Would it be as cool as our kick ass little basement?

This page I s a work in progress to be published on 3/15/19. If you have anything you would like to contribute, please email [email protected].

Spring 2018

We had a lot of cleaning and small repairs to do. One of our first accomplishments to brag about – we stopped the deterioration of a major structure in the neighborhood. The Fledge can be seen from Michigan Avenue – you only have one chance to make a good impression.

We had the Capital City Film Festival about 20 days after we closed on the building.

We threw the CCFF after party. We learned about the noise ordinances and our plumbing system.

And as we headed toward summer our community gardens started to come together.

We immediately formed a partnership with Comprenew. Shared computers for anyone to use for free and a computer literacy class that can result in a free to inexpensive computer for home.

Every Saturday from 1 to 3 we host a coding club for people of all ages and skill levels. Through out the year we only had to cancel 4 of the club meetings. Our average participation was 8 per week, with 75 unique people throughout the year. The coding club has create intellectual property and have their first licensing agreement with Uproot Technologies (an AgTech company emerging from our project based innovation process).

We start stocking the art loft with canvases, paints, brushes and other supplies.

We get the screen printing operation going, it has a long way to go, but is functional.

The vocal, rap and beat making studio gets updated. At this point it is the most used resource in the building.

May 15, 2018 As the spring progressed we started to work toward our open house on May 15th. Throughout the afternoon we had about 450 people visit us. Two months in we had already had over 1000 visitors.

We hosted Start-up Grind and Ashlee Willis spoke on diversity and Ash from Non-binary was the musical guest. Inclusion gives diversity; diversity gives options.

The coding club makes a break through, after this we started meeting all of the original objectives of the Mood Building Project.

Couch Covers shoots at the new Fledge.

Summer 2018

June 26, 2018 Lou Barlow, former guitarist for Dinosaur Junior, came to the Fledge to have a small venue, intimate show.

During the summer, we teamed up with Ryan Holmes to hold art classes at the Fledge. These classes attracted about 15 kids from the area to improve the Art skills.

June 30, 2018 – We teamed up with Drevon Pruitt from unxccepted studios and started Lansing’s biggest monthly entrepreneurial event.

July 21, 2018 – The Michigan comedy coop partnered with us to bring monthly stand-up from around the country.

Artists continue to showcase and sell their work.

Herman, a Fledgling, performs in front of NextGenn in his first live performance.

Fall 2018

MSU Bat Club volunteers teach the basics of building bat houses. The houses will end up on the river trail.

September 29, 2018 the Happiest Homeless Person Sign Show.

October 19, 2018 Shane Mauss – A Good Trip.

October 27, 2019 – Dracula’s wedding

Winter 2018/19

February 1, 2019 – The Fledge and ARTSpace teamed up for lovefest.

February 1, 2014 The Habibi Dancers performed at the Fledge for Lovefest with ARTSpace.

February 8, 2019 The Michigan Comedy Coop brought Kristen Toomey to the Fledge.

February 9, 2019 Unxppected Studios presents Rocky B’s Rap Showcase.

February 16, 2019 we hosted the first lansing meeting of the Michigan Psychedelic Society. They education and advocate for research of psychedelics use for health purposes.