KILLEEN, Texas — After receiving $128,000 through American Rescue Plan Act, Create Space Interactive Studios was able to open for business Friday Nov 4.
Space Create owner Toni Ringgold hosted a community block part Sat. Nov 5 to celebrate the big accomplishment.
To help revitalize Downtown Killeen, the city used $965,812 in funds from the American Rescue Plan Act to bring five more businesses downtown with a grant program called Downtown Start-Up Grants.
Ringgold says the grant opened up so many doors for her as an entrepreneur.
"When receiving that grant, it allowed me to be able to purchase these properties and we have been working really really hard and ever since then," Ringgold explained.
Space Create is a creative hub with interactive individual & group lessons, music rehearsal space, state of the art recording and podcast studios, public and private event space, "virtual reality" creation pod, and arts community engagement initiatives.
The goal of this business is to build confidence for youth and adults alike, and will foster opportunities for those interested in the Arts in Central Texas.
For audio engineer Randy Turley, having this creative hub in Central Texas gives him and other creatives in Central Texas the chance to showcase their talents without having to travel to further cities.
"Not even just music but if we're talking about wanted to take pictures, people want to do videos, podcast. This is a nice space to be able to open up and not just for Killeen but just the Central Texas area," Turley shared.
Ringgold herself is a vocal coach and hopes people take part in what she's created for people like her in the community.
"I hope that they feel renewed, rejuvenated, revived. I hope that they can do whatever it is that they want to do. That is not too far-fetched, that it's not like they have to move across the country or move to a bigger city in order to make my dream come true. No, you can make your dream come true right here," Ringgold said.
More information on Space Create Interactive Studios can be found here.
More information on the grant program can be found here.