Wichita Center For The Arts

Mission Statement:

The mission of the Wichita Center for the Arts is to improve understanding about the visual and performing arts among citizens in the region by providing programs which develop the creative process, expand aesthetic appreciation, and bring new meaning and understanding to the potential of being human.

History:

Founded in 1920, The Wichita Center for the Arts (formerly the Wichita Art Association) is Wichita's oldest and most comprehensive visual and performing arts organization and the region's only arts center that includes a school. It is primarily a privately funded organization, generating most of its revenues through gifts, endowment earnings, tuition, and ticket sales.

The Center's resources include a permanent collection of over 6,500 art works of regional and international importance; over 14,000 square feet of galleries and related space in a 45,000 square foot facility; comprehensive educational programs for all ages in the visual and performing arts in over 9,500 square feet of dedicated and fully-equipped classroom space. The intimate 484-seat theater is used for professional theater performances (such as the musical Children of Eden, and the innovative Kubuki Othello), children's theater, our Classic and International Film Series, and special events. The current gallery and school facilities were completed in 1965 and the Center Theatre was dedicated in 1971, by Helen Hayes.

For seventy-eight years, the Center has been a cultural arts catalyst for this area, providing a multidisciplinary arts center where citizens of all ages and abilities can learn more about the arts, either through study with professional teaching artists or participation in some of the Center's many exhibits, educational activities and entertainment programs. The Center's goals are to further both young artists and practicing professionals, to increase individual knowledge as well as community appreciation, and to inspire connoisseur enthusiasm while encouraging newcomer accessibility. The Center is a single regional arts center, and only a very few nationally, that serves a broad, multi-faceted and multi-level visual and performing arts spectrum. The Center is dedicated to enhancing individual lives through greater arts understanding and participation, as well as adding to this area's overall quality of life through the stimulation and joy of the arts.

During the past several years, The Center Board of Trustees has renewed its commitment to further develop the organization by improving the quality of its programs and increasing its community impact and benefits. Nationally recognized staff have been recruited and all programs upgraded. As a result, a $3.4 million endowment has been established, and increased quality and regional impact achieved. Membership support, and theater and gallery attendance, have grown by over 50 percent; school enrollment has doubled; and the Center now serves a rapidly growing audience of over 55,000 visitors a year. In addition, an arts-based preschool program has been added, fostering an appreciation for the arts during a child's early developmental years.

The Exhibition program presents historical and contemporary works which document the history of visual arts throughout the world, with a special focus on art and artists of mid western America. In addition to attracting visitors from all segments of the population, particular targeted audiences include students in area school, Center members, and community collectors and individuals who seek to enrich their lives through cultural activities. The program is dedicated to exhibiting the finest objects and investigating the most provocative and historical ideas.

The Center's permanent collection, which is rotated in small exhibits throughout the year, has particular strengths in American decorative arts, printmaking and art of the Midwest. Special lectures and family days are held throughout the year to underscore major exhibitions and provide insight into contemporary art. All exhibitions are closely integrated with the Mary R. Koch School of Visual Arts to ensure that visitors and students benefit from the Center's total resources.