FEED Media Art Center and Erie Art Company (EACo) will begin exploratory facade work at 1307 State Street in August, partnering with Shearer and Son Contracting Services. The project is funded by a $100,000 ECGRA Anchor Building Grant, supporting facade improvements and a future outdoor screen for public digital art. Crews will assess the building's structure ahead of restoration. A temporary safety barricade for pedestrians will be erected during work, with the sidewalk and neighboring businesses staying open. Brad Ford thanked ECGRA for its partnership; Benton Bainbridge confirmed August programming continues, with the entire block remaining accessible.
ERIE, Pa., Aug. 2, 2026 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Erie Art Company (EACo), the nonprofit organization collaborating with FEED Media Art Center, announced today that it will begin exploratory work on the facade of its State Street building starting in August, in partnership with Shearer and Son Contracting Services. The project is made possible by a $100,000 Anchor Building Grant awarded to EACo and FEED by the Erie County Gaming Revenue Authority (ECGRA) in December 2025.
ECGRA's Anchor Building Grant Program supports local governments, 501(c)(3) nonprofits, and municipal authorities in redeveloping, preserving, and adaptively reusing underutilized or historically significant buildings that can serve as catalysts for further investment in a community, neighborhood, or commercial district. Anchor buildings are typically located at the heart of a community and carry historical, architectural, or social significance worth preserving. Since the program's founding, ECGRA has invested in dozens of anchor buildings across Erie County, helping local organizations turn aging, underused structures into vibrant community assets — and EACo and FEED are deeply grateful to be counted among them.
The grant will fund facade improvements to the FEED building at 1307 State Street as well as the future installation of a large-scale outdoor video screen for public digital art — a first-of-its-kind addition to Erie's downtown arts corridor made possible entirely through ECGRA's generosity and investment in the region's cultural life.
Beginning in August, crews from Shearer and Son Contracting Services will conduct exploratory work on the building's facade, examining the condition of the structure, masonry, and existing architectural elements. This assessment will give EACo and its partners the detailed information needed to plan the scope, sequencing, and budget of the full facade stabilization and restoration project that follows.
The exploratory work marks the first phase of a broader effort to evaluate and stabilize the building's spectacular, iconic facade, carried out in partnership with Shearer and Son Contracting Services and informed by earlier structural assessments and proposals developed with the project's engineering partners.
"We are deeply grateful to ECGRA for making this next step possible," said Brad Ford, Executive Director of Erie Art Company. "Their support has been instrumental not just in funding this project, but in believing in what this building — and this organization — can become for the community. Safety comes first, before any work begins."
"Rob Shearer worked with the City of Erie to plan for the 5 days of work, so our August shows are on!" said Benton C. Bainbridge, FEED Founder. "The entire block will remain open for business, whether you're dropping off your kids at ABC Daycare or pulling up for a rave at STIM CITY."
EACo expects the exploratory work to inform the scope, timeline, and budget for subsequent facade stabilization and restoration efforts. Updates will be shared with the community as the project progresses, including notice ahead of any additional construction activity or changes to sidewalk access along State Street.
EACo and FEED extend their heartfelt thanks to ECGRA for its trust, generosity, and continued investment in Erie's arts and culture community. This project would not be possible without ECGRA's commitment to preserving and revitalizing the buildings that anchor our neighborhoods, and EACo looks forward to sharing the progress of this work with ECGRA and the broader community in the months ahead.
Speaking of FEED events: NANA
Art Festival '26.
The NANA Festival brings together many of the most unique and groundbreaking modern acts from around the world to Erie, Pennsylvania. This lineup is sure to draw not only Northeastern regional audiences, but also nationwide attention, and beyond. An open opportunity, high demand from artists, and an utmost necessity has led to the culmination of this important cultural event. NANA showcases the work of our time.
NANA FEST '26, North American New Art Festival 2026. Oct 1st-4th
Thu, Oct 1 2026 4:00pm EDT – Sun, Oct 4 2026 10:00pm EDT
The project will showcase diverse musical and contemporary dance talent from Erie County through eight live-streamed performances. The series aims to provide accessible, high-quality, interdisciplinary arts programming, utilizing FEED's audio-visual infrastructure for exceptional broadcast quality. The entire series will conclude with a live-streamed and in-person panel discussion on the future of Erie's performance initiatives. This project was made possible by grants from Erie Arts and Culture and Mediathe Foundation LLC.
Erie Art Company is also preparing for The Lake Erie Literary Festival. Get ready to celebrate storytelling! The 2026 Lake Erie Literary Festival is returning to Frontier Park bringing together national authors, local voices, and literary lovers of all ages.
About Erie Art Company: Erie Art Company is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization based in Erie, Pennsylvania, collaborating with FEED Media Art Center and supporting arts and cultural programming throughout the region.
About FEED Media Art Center: FEED Media Art Center is a contemporary art museum and creative incubator in the heart of Erie's Downtown ARTs District.
Media Contact: Brad Ford, Executive Director, Erie Art Company 814.450.9005 [email protected]
Media Contact
Bradley M Ford, ERIE ART COMPANY, 1 8144509005, [email protected], www.erieartcompany.org
SOURCE ERIE ART COMPANY
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