echo area for non-text editor

I'm currently rooting through the docs to figure out how best to implement 
something that acts like an emacs echo area attached to something that is not 
a text editor.  I want an echo buffer associated to a grid of output panes 
(drawing surfaces which I want to control using textual commands and key 
bindings) and no associated editor-pane.  Thus far, I haven't sussed out how 
best to do it - it's not clear to me that I can use an echo-area-pane (and 
how to do it) or if I need to build one up using a text-input-pane or a 
listener-pane or what.  It wouldn't surprise me if I'm missing something 
simple and obvious.

Suggestions welcome.

thanx
pt