Kianna Bromley knew that creating a performing arts venue from the ground up in Montpelier would be a "long shot." She took it anyway. In March, the Capital City resident started a nonprofit and soon launched a $750,000 fundraising campaign to buy Gary Library on the Vermont College of Fine Arts campus and undertake a multimillion-dollar renovation.
Now, Bromley's vision is one giant step closer to becoming a reality: On July 30, Montpelier Performing Arts Hub plans to close on its purchase of the library. The sale is a significant milestone on the path to creating what Bromley pictures as a performing arts venue and community gathering space in the heart of Montpelier. The proposed renovations would include a 97-seat theater, café and bar, and a basement area with classrooms and rehearsal studios.
"It was really just me in a dream for a hot second there," Bromley, 34, said. "And then we got a whole community to come in, and it's now so many people's dreams."
On July 31, the nonprofit will celebrate the purchase of Gary Library at a ribbon-cutting ceremony open to the public.
Montpelier Performing Arts Hub raised $384,000 to help fund the $595,000 purchase, according to Bromley. The organization has secured a loan from the Vermont Community Loan Fund to make up the difference.
While the nonprofit fell short of its goal to raise $750,000 by June 14, the original target was "very ambitious," Bromley said. She now aims to raise that amount by the end of August and hopes to fund the renovation — estimated to cost between $2.8 million and $3.4 million — primarily through grants.
Bromley, who holds a master's in business from the University of Vermont, said she's been looking for a viable performing arts venue in Montpelier for years, born out of her frustration with having to travel to Burlington or White River Junction for robust arts programming.
Also a board member of the local Lost Nation Theater, Bromley said she envisions Montpelier Performing Arts Hub as filling a need for a more versatile space available to artists across genres.
Katie Gustafson, CFO of the Vermont College of Fine Arts, knew Bromley was searching for a space and gave her a tour of Gary Library in December. In recent years, the college has sold many of its buildings to help pay off its debts, and it no longer hosts residencies on its Montpelier campus.
Bromley put in an offer, contingent on having six months to demonstrate her ability to raise the necessary funds. By January, she had recruited nine board members to help her achieve her goal. In June, Bromley left her job as a theater teacher at Montpelier Roxbury Public Schools to work on Montpelier Performing Arts Hub full time.
"It's definitely a little bit of faith," she said. "But I'm very passionate, and I'm also very confident in this project."
The largest donor, whom Bromley declined to name, contributed $100,000 toward the project. But Bromley also emphasized the importance of grassroots community support: 192 community members collectively contributed $37,000 through GoFundMe. The nonprofit's next campaign, dubbed "$35 for 35," asks community members to donate $35 each to help repay the loan for the purchase of the building at 35 College Street.
"Our goal is to continue to do the work for that $750,000 and immediately pay off that loan as we work towards grants," Bromley said. "We're kind of waiting on all that money to come through to break ground and start renovations as soon as we can, so that we can open and provide these services to the world."