UWSP College of Fine Arts and Communication
Stevens Point Convention
and Visitors Bureau
City of Stevens Point
Home Page
Riverfront Arts Center
1200 Crosby Avenue
Stevens Point, WI 54481
Phone: 715-343-6251
email: sprac@voyager.net
Gallery Hours:
Tuesday-Friday 11am-5pm
Saturday-Sunday 11am-3pm
The following was prepared by Gerard McKenna, Chair of the Stevens Point Arts Council. McKenna, also Dean of Fine Arts and Communication at UW-Stevens Point, and Members of the Arts Council and Visual Arts Community worked tirelessly to create and develop the Riverfront Arts Center for all to experience and enjoy. Here is their story:
A BRIEF HISTORY
THE STEVENS POINT ARTS COUNCIL WAS FORMED IN 1992 BY STEVENS POINT'S MAYOR. THE COUNCIL WAS ASKED ON BEHALF OF THE CITY TO ALLOCATE FUNDS EACH YEAR IN SUPPORT OF LOCAL ARTS GROUPS. FUNDS FOR THIS ACTIVITY WERE GENERATED FROM THE CITY'S HOTEL AND MOTEL ROOM TAX.
IN PLANNING FOR THE FUTURE, THE ARTS COUNCIL COMMISSIONED A CULTURAL PLAN IN 1996. THIS PLAN BROUGHT 100 COMMUNITY MEMBERS TOGETHER TO ASSESS THE NEEDS OF THE ARTS AND CULTURE IN THE COMMUNITY. THE RESULTS OF THIS STUDY YIELDED THE FOLLOWING DIRECTIONS THE COUNCIL SHOULD TAKE ON BEHALF OF THE ARTS IN STEVENS POINT.
- DEVELOP A CALENDAR FOR ALL ARTS EVENTS IN THE CITY
- ASSIST IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF A CHILDREN'S MUSEUM
- PROVIDE TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TO LOCAL ARTISTS AND ARTS GROUPS
- DEVELOP A CENTER TO DISPLAY THE WORK OF VISUAL ARTISTS
IN 1997 AND 1998, THE ARTS COUNCIL, IN COLLABORATION WITH THE COMMUNITY FOUNDATION OF PORTAGE COUNTY, RAISED OVER $100,000, PURCHASED THE FORMER PORTAGE COUNTY BUSINESS COUNCIL FACILITY, AND REMODELED IT INTO AN ARTS CENTER.
ON MAY 5, 1999, A GRAND OPENING WAS HELD AT THE NEW RIVERFRONT ARTS CENTER. THIS CENTER HAS ACHIEVED GREAT SUCCESS IN BRINGING THE WORK OF TALENTED LOCAL ARTISTS TO THE GENERAL COMMUNITY.
WHAT THE ARTS COUNCIL DOES
THE ARTS COUNCIL PROVIDES OVERSIGHT FOR THE FACILITY AND FOR EXPANSION OF THE ARTS IN STEVENS POINT. THE CITY OF STEVENS P0INT OWNS THE FACILITY AND THE DIRECTOR OF PARKS AND RECREATION PROVIDES SUPERVISION OF THE SPACE. AN EXHIBITION COMMITTEE RECOMMENDS EXHIBITS TO THE COUNCIL FOR APPROVAL.
WHAT ARE THE FUTURE ACTIVITIES FOR THE ARTS COUNCIL
AFTER 2000, THE ARTS COUNCIL RETURNED TO ITS ORIGINAL PLAN OF GRANTING FUNDS TO LOCAL ARTS GROUPS.
The Exhibition Committee: get to know the RAC Exhibition Committee member's names and faces