A Capital Campaign to Rebuild the Arts Center
When the Arts Center was destroyed by fire in December 2016, the loss was felt throughout the community.
The Arts Center was a place for education and learning. Workshops were held for children and adults that provided opportunity for creativity, expression and imagination. A Lunch and Learn series provided educational opportunities.
The Arts Center building was a source of pride for the community and enhanced the downtown with public art. Large colorful banners on the south side of the building had been selected from entries submitted by area school children,
Since opening, the Arts Center had become more than an art gallery. In addition to exhibits by local, regional, nationally and internationally recognized artists, there were traveling and special interest exhibits and annual exhibits by school children and citizens with disabilities.
A traveling exhibit from the Smithsonian made its Missouri debut at the Arts Center. During the 150th anniversary of the Battle of Kirksville, the gallery hosted a traveling exhibit on the “Civil War in Missouri” Another very poignant traveling exhibit was “Remembering the Fallen” which included a photograph of every Missourian who lost their life in the war on terror.
The Legacy Mosaic Tile Mural was a public art project that brought people together. Over a course of six weeks hundreds of people from Kirksville took part in this project. Most of the tiles survived the fire and will be reinstalled on the new building. The proposed building will include an outdoor art gallery. The Artery will provide additional opportunities for public art projects such as sculptures and murals for the community to enjoy.
Exhibits rotate throughout the year, run for 4 to 6 weeks and are always free and open to the public.
