Diatribe breaks ground on new community hub
Ground is being broken on a new community center on Grand Rapids’ south side, The Emory Arts and Culture Hub.
A vacant building at 2040 South Division Avenue in Grand Rapids will be renovated to house The Emory Arts and Culture Hub, a community center for arts and culture non-profit The Diatribe.
Vanessa Jimenez is Interim Executive Director for The Diatribe. She says this hub will help students and residents express themselves within their community.
“For so long, the 49507 has been displaced, has been disinvested and so it’s important for us in the South Division corridor as a thriving community, and we want to enhance that.”
The Diatribe has been facilitating poetry programs in local schools since 2013. It also provides art-related programs focused on mental health, social justice, and unity.
The new center comprises over 18,000 square feet and will include eight affordable housing units, workspaces for community members, four retail spaces and a rental space for performing arts and private events.
“We’re also going to bring national renowned poets and other artists to that space, so not only are we creating a space for community to come, but we’re also having an opportunity for Grand Rapids to showcase national talent here in the 49507.”
It will also serve as headquarters for Diatribe staff and an after-school program space for students, grades 7-12, for free art workshops, homework assistance and leisure time.
The Diatribe has raised $6.7 million of the $9 million needed to fund the renovation. The hub is expected to open summer 2025.