Garrett Neese/Daily Mining Gazette Phyllis Fredendall, co-director of the Finnish American Folk School, addresses the Hancock City Council at its meeting Wednesday. The school plans to stay in Hancock even if it needs to relocate from its current space in the Jutila Center, co-director Phyllis Fredendall said.

By GARRETT NEESE

gneese@mininggazette.com

HANCOCK — The Finnish American Folk School will stay in Hancock, its directors said at Wednesday’s Hancock City Council meeting.

The school, previously part of Finlandia University, was founded in 2017 to promote knowledge of Finnish folk arts and pass them down to future generations.

After the university’s closure in June, the folk school is now receiving support from the Pasadena, California-based Finlandia Foundation, said co-director Phyllis Fredendall. The foundation is working to help preserve several resources affiliated with the university important for preserving Finnish American culture.

The folk school is currently based in the Jutila Center, one of numerous former Finlandia University properties whose future ownership is uncertain. A U.S. Department of Education lien on the properties is preventing university buildings from being sold.

“We’re very hopeful to stay there,” Fredendall said. “If not, I would like to stay in Hancock.”

City officials and U.S. Rep. Jack Bergman toured that property and others during a visit last week.

“We’re hopeful that we’ll get it worked out,” said Mayor Kurt Rickard.

The school has a large footprint in the Jutila Center, Fredendall said. The fiber studio is about 2,600 square feet. The woodshop and ceramics studios are both about 1,400 square feet, though the ceramics studio is larger than necessary, Fredendall said.

“We’re not necessarily attached to them all staying together, but we’re attached to them all staying in Hancock,” Fredendall said.

The school is grant-funded and is currently fundraising, Fredendall said. A Michigan arts and Culture Council grant is funding an upcoming week of activity including barks and willow basketry, which will also include the Copper Country Community Arts Center and the Ryan Street and Pewabic Street community gardens. For a full schedule of events, go to finlandia.edu/fahc/finnish-american-folk-school.