GO Art! presents plan for cultural center at fairgrounds

Photos by Tom Rivers: Gregory Hallock, executive director of the Genesee-Orleans Regional Arts Council, speaks on Tuesday evening about a plan for a new cultural facility at the Orleans County 4-H Fairgrounds. The building is planned for the west end of the Fairgrounds near Taylor Hill Road.

‘GoBarn’ could be 30,000 square feet offering many art, community programs

KNOWLESVILLE – The Genesee-Orleans Regional Arts Council (GO Art!) presented a plan for a new arts and cultural center – the GoBarn – at the Orleans County 4-H Fairgrounds.

Gregory Hallock, GO Art!’s executive director, said the facility, which could max out at 30,000 square feet, would tie in with the mission of Cornell Cooperative Extension and the fairgrounds, while expanding arts and cultural program in the county.

Hallock said the new three-story building with a greenhouse, animal barns and a tavern/beer garden would be in the millions of dollars.

Rendering from Red Green Design: The three-story building would have the look of a barn, with the silo having an elevator and stairs to access the three floors.

GO Art! has spent about $40,000 so far for preliminary designs for the project. He said another $150,000 is needed by Dec. 31 to hire an engineering and design firm for more detailed drawings that are required to seek grants and other funding. Those more precise drawings will also include a detailed breakdown of the costs of the project.

“Our goal is to facilitate tourism and cultural growth,” Hallock told about 50 people during an announcement at the Trolley Building of the Fairgrounds. “The goal is to bring in thousands of people a month.”

Hallock has been scouting sites in the county for the project and struck up a conversation with Robert Batt, the CCE executive director, during the fair in late July. The two see many synergies with GO Art! and CCE by having the new facility at the fairgrounds.

Linda Knipe, GO Art! board president, said the community has an opportunity to add a major asset to the community.

The fiber and wool from llamas, alpacas and sheep could be used by artisans during a fiber festival, for example.

A greenhouse could be used to grow herbs and flowers in programs run by the CCE, in another example.

The building would have flexible or adaptable space that could be used for many things. Hallock and Go Art! envision two art galleries, artist studios and a residence where artists could bunk instead of driving home in the wee hours of the night. Hallock would like to the building to be used for many art forms – culinary, folk, horticultural, literary, visual, muli-media and more.

Linda Knipe, GO Art! board president, acknowledged this a major initiative for the community. She noted how her son, Alex Feig, was able to work with a small group of volunteers and get a $500,000 skate park built in Medina.

“These are very big plans for a rural community,” Knipe said. “We can do this. This is about having vibrant communities where the kids want to stay. We are looking to make this a more vibrant community than it already is.”

A survey completed by about 150 people also shows interest in a pottery studio & kilns, educational studios, film recording studio, culinary kitchen, dining/farm-to-table, tavern/beer garden, offices/conferences and an outdoor music venue.

GO Art! has a liquor license at its facility in Batavia, and Hallock said being able to serve alcohol has boosted attendance and sales of art at the Batavia gallery. The alcohol has to be consumed on site and Hallock said there have been no issues with over-drinking.

Robert Batt, CCE director, sees a lot of possibilities with the GoBarn in boosting artists and agriculture. “The potential is ripe and awesome,” he said.

The new complex was planned to be close to the main education education, just east of it. But Hallock said the state isn’t allowing that due to the close presence of a wetland. GO Art! has shifted the facility to the west end of the fairgrounds, near the corner of Route 31 and Taylor Hill Road.

Hallock said the site would likely be built in stages. He said a July 2025 start is possible with the project’s target completion in July 2028.

He listed the following potential new programs:

Fiber arts and crafts; culinary arts; horticultural and agriculture programs; art and design classes; animals and fiber arts; health, wellness and social programs; technology and innovation programs; performing arts and music classes; film and digital media classes; woodworking classes and workshops; crafts and do-it-yourself classes; sustainability and eco-classes; business and entrepreneurship classes; collaborative and community projects; educational and community events; bar and beverage service; event space rentals.

The facility would be accessible and inclusive to all community members, Hallock said. The GoBarn would have hands-on programs in arts, agriculture and sustainability that would provide workforce readiness. Hallock said GO Art! wants to partner with local schools and organizations in “fostering a lifelong learning environment.”

The facility is expected to draw thousands of people monthly, which Hallock said would provide a boost to local businesses, such as lodging, restaurants and shops. He envisions a Fiber Arts Festival as a big event at the site.

The GoBarn would provide a platform for artisans and rural entrepreneurs to grow their businesses sustainably, expanding economic opportunities in the region, he said.

For more information contact Hallock, GO Art! director, at ghallock@goart.org or (585) 343-9313. He welcomes donations and volunteers to serve on a committee to move the project forward. Click here to see more renderings of the GoBarn.

About 50 people attended the announcement at the Trolley Building with the plans for a new cultural center for the community.