Evanston, IL – The Evanston City Council voted on Monday, March 8th, to enter into lease negotiations with Artists Book House for a long-term lease of the Harley Clarke Mansion. The Council made the decision a little over a year after receiving compelling proposals and presentations for the future of the Harley Clarke Mansion and Coach House and Jens Jensen Gardens from four organizations. The decision was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Audrey Niffenegger, bestselling author, artist and founder of Artists Book House said:
“Artists Book House wishes to thank all of the Alderpersons, the Mayor and City Staff who devoted their time and attention to all things Harley Clarke over the past few years. Additionally, gratitude is due to members of the other groups who made proposals; we hope to work with you to preserve and enhance the house for public benefit. And thanks to the ABH board, donors, community partners and volunteers, all of whom have helped us get this far.”
Artists Book House has been busy during the pandemic, producing over 60 YouTube videos including: Conversationswith artists, writers and librarians hosted by Jamie Thome; Tutorials featuring simple and accessible writing, book arts and papermaking tutorials; and Stories After Dark, a ghost story series curated by Todd Summar. Additionally, our series Collaborations invites artists, writers and poets to collaborate on new works exclusively for the ABH website. All content is free to the public and accessible at artistsbookhouse.org.
Artists Book House is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that seeks to expand the community through education, exhibitions, publications and events. The organization is committed to conservation, understanding the history and craft of the book, and sharing stories and knowledge.
John Eifler (Eifler & Associates), Nick Patera (Teska Associates, Inc.) and the team at WB Olson, Inc. work with Artists Book House to restore and renovate the Harley Clarke Mansion and grounds for their educational programming and public use. This will include print, paper and book binding studios, conference rooms and classrooms for teaching writing and for hosting book groups and a papermaker’s garden. A café serving light fare, an art gallery and a bookstore will be open to the public. Additional public programming, such as artist talks, author readings and poetry slams, will be scheduled to coincide with the academic year to avoid conflicts with parking for those visiting the beach.
According to Niffenegger, “People love books; books contain everything we know, everything we want to remember. We put ourselves into books. Chicago and Evanston have a strong literary tradition and the book arts have prospered here. Artists Book House wants to carry on that legacy and become a place for people to gather and enjoy books.”
To read the original proposal, click here.
For our press releases page, click here.
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Artists Book House is a non-profit 501-C3 organization.If you would like to support Aritsts Book House and our restoration and renovation of the Harley Clarke Mansion & Coach House, we are accepting donations.