CALUMET – Everyone is welcome at the Calumet Art Center, says Executive Director Ed Gray. It says so right in the bylaws. But for a person in a wheelchair, getting down the stairs into the basement of the historic church that houses the center would take some help from a hearty friend.

To fix the problem, the art center is raising money for a wheelchair ramp and barrier free entrance for their side door into the studios. U.P. Engineers and Architects has drawn up a design for the entrance, said Gray, and the project could start as soon as this spring – if the center can pay for it.

The project is expected to cost about $16,000, he said, and the art center has applied for a grant that would cover about half that, if the art center can raise the other $8,000 through donations.

“There’s been lots of interest, but small amounts,” Gray said. “There’s almost $6,000 left to raise.”

Gray said one big reason the art center is focusing its energy on accessibility is a commitment to making art classes and studios available to military veterans. Making art can be a great way to heal some of the emotional and spiritual wounds of war, according to experts, but the realities of combat mean veterans are more likely than most people to need an accessible entrance.

The center has been working with veterans’ representative Walt Fish to build interest, Gray said, and private donors have been funding sponsorships to pay for vets’ class fees.

“We now have six waiting on a copper bowl class,” Gray said, “and we have one interested in a clay class coming up.”

There are still several sponsorships available, he said, noting that interest in the classes appears to be growing via word-of-mouth.

Gray said the Keweenaw Community Foundation has set up a fund for the accessible entrance project. To learn more or donate online, go to keewenawgives.org and search Calumet Art Center. To sponsor a veteran’s art fees or learn more about the center, go to calumetartcenter.com or call 934-2228.