New Art Center Takes Form in Downtown Bradenton

By Lisa Neff

ArtCenter Manatee’s award-winning 2D vision for a landmark in downtown Bradenton is becoming a sculpture-inspired 3D reality.

Construction continues on the Herrig Center for the Arts on Third Avenue East, just east of ArtCenter Manatee’s building.

“I hope you’ve driven by and seen that we are really making an iconic building that is very different, that will truly change the landscape of your entry into downtown Bradenton,” Carla Nierman, executive director of ArtCenter Manatee, recently told the Manatee County Tourist Development Council.

A rendering shows how the property on Ninth Street West and Third Avenue West will be used once the new center is completed. The new building will be named the Herrig Center for the Arts for donors Steve and Natalee Herrig. Courtesy image

ArtCenter Manatee broke ground on the project in September 2023, with the goal of building a landmark facility for the visual arts and creating a hub for people to gather, create, share, exhibit, market and dialogue.

“It’s coming along really, really well,” Bradenton Area Convention and Visitors Bureau executive director Elliott Falcione, said of the “beautiful art center.”

The county provided $1 million in tourist tax money for the project several years ago, according to Falcione.

On Feb. 24, the tourist council voted Feb. 24 to recommend the board of county commissioners allocate $1.25 million for the project.

“I’ve asked them to use this to get the CO,” Falcione said, referring to a certificate of occupancy.

In the pitch for tourist development tax revenues, the ArtCenter said the county money “would move this project over the finish line” because it would be matched by donations.

“I love this and I’m excited to see it move forward,” said County Commissioner Amanda Ballard, District 2, who chairs the TDC.

The total project cost is budgeted at $15,342,568, with $12,108,551 raised.

The two-story Herrig will consist of 28,000 square feet, nearly triple the size of the 10,000-square-foot ArtCenter building and the number of studios will go from five to 10.

“We were dealing with a very, very tired building,” Nierman said.

“Our new space,” she said, “will expand our ability to bring in guests from all over the world to teach, exhibit and host conferences.”

About the award-winning design, architects Wannemacher Jensen Architects Inc. said, “The form of the building is inspired by the idea of dichotomy. There are two readable masses of the building; one is organized more linearly and contains the studio workspaces. These spaces are detailed to serve the specifics of each form of artmaking. The other form is a curved, molded mass vessel containing the gallery spaces. It is inspired by the method of sculpture. The workspaces orient around the gallery to support its form.”

A rendering shows the new Herrig Center for the Arts, which is under construction in downtown Bradenton. The slogan driving the capital campaign is “transforming lives and building community.” Courtesy image

The Herrig will help to create a cultural corridor — an Avenue of the Arts — with The Bishop Museum of Science and Nature to the west and the Manatee Performing Arts Center to the east, as well as enhance the entrance to Bradenton.

“You’re going to see the entrances to all of our city becoming more of a focal point,” boasted Bradenton Mayor Gene Brown, endorsing the tourist tax funding.

County commissioners could consider the recommendation this week. And, Nierman said, a certificate of occupancy could be issued as early as June.

“We are shooting for TCO at the beginning of April,” she said March 13.

Meanwhile, the current ArtCenter Manatee, 209 Ninth St. W., remains open, offering classes, workshops, and exhibiting art.