JOLIET – The effects of the Great Recession are causing a local public arts organization to sell its building, while artists who have endured the financial hit are painting a hopeful picture for the future of Joliet art.

Because of a dwindling number of public arts contracts since 2008, the Friends of Community Public Arts organization is selling its 8,000-square-foot building at 310 N. Ottawa St., hoping to lease back a portion of the building from the new owner.

“It was a total storm,” said Kathleen Farrell, FCPA administrator and artist. “The state government is giving less money to the arts, the federal government is giving less and private entities are spending less.”

FCPA is a nonprofit organization focused on increasing the awareness of the Joliet community’s historical and cultural heritage by creating, planning, promoting and preserving public art.

The state’s 2014 funding for the Illinois Arts Council, which gives grants to local arts agencies, is $10.1 million, less than half of 2007 funding levels. But it is an increase from last year’s budget of $8.2 million.

FCPA received annual $20,000 grants from the Illinois Arts Council. But recently that amount was reduced to $5,000. And when the recession hit, individuals also stopped spending money on art.

The FCPA formed as an independent nonprofit organization in 1994 and purchased the arts building, which was originally a steel workers’ union hall, for $200,000 with a commercial loan.

Since then, the FCPA has invested an additional $250,000 on renovations with grants and in-kind labor into the facility.

While the sale of the building is still up in the air, FCPA is focused on developing a permanent exhibition for its scale model art – pieces created as miniature versions of statues and other works created by artists in the organization.

The exhibition would help fund the rental of at least 1,000 square feet of the building they are selling. Organizers are still looking for a location to hold the exhibition.

They’re also trying to raise funds for maintenance of more than 150 outdoor art pieces throughout Joliet.

Starting April 25, the FCPA will hold a sale of art supplies and equipment. Items in like-new condition will be sold at a fourth of catalog prices. Hardcover books will be 50 cents each and softcover books will be 25 cents. New copies of FCPA mural and sculpture books also will be sold at a discount.

“With the shock of the economy causing people to lose their jobs and homes, they couldn’t think about art,” Farrell said. “But we all know it’s essential to the quality of life.”

Local metal sculptor and furniture designer Marsha Lega is an artist in FCPA and also has had her own art business since 1984. While she has seen several economic downturns impact the art industry since then, nothing compared to the last recession.

“The trickle down part of the economy slapped the artist pretty hard,” Lega said. “This one was bigger, harder, stronger and more devastating than others.”

Lega, who has contributed art, furniture and statues to several sites across Joliet, is relatively well-known and has still been able to sell her art. But she had to alter the selling process in order to make it through the recession.

“The places I depended on to sell my goods, they went out of business,” Lega said. “Luckily, I’ve been doing this for a long time. But it’s pretty darn hard for the young artist to make it.”

Lega advises those wanting to pursue art as a career to get a more stable job for the sake of financial survival financially while maintaining their passion for art.

“The arts are suffering and we will be the last to come back,” Lega said. “But I’m hopeful for the future.”