The Hutchinson Center for the Arts hosted its annual meeting Jan. 17. The good news is the center is in the black and it increased its educational programming by 70%.
Molly Rivera, executive director, kicked off the meeting with a PowerPoint presentation highlighting the past year. Total income was $178,102, which came from grants, donations, memberships, programming and the sales gallery. Total expense was $113,856, which included payroll, facilities, business, programming and sales gallery. The difference — the net income — was $64,246.
In addition to Rivera, the center added a staff person during 2022 — Ann Lamecker as program assistant.
It makes sense to add this position because one of the ongoing requests is more programming.
According to Rivera, the center increased its educational programming by 70% this past year, serving 155 youth and adults. They also increased outreach via activities such as its once-a-month Open Studio, Take Home Art Kits, and by partnering with the Hutchinson Farmers Market, McLeod County Fair, Special Olympics Minnesota and the Hutchinson Public Library.
“We were able to increase our connections in the community and ensure art is accessible for all,” Rivera said.
The attractions of the downtown location are its visibility and easy access, which is a benefit for drawing people to the center. Among the reasons to visit is its ongoing rotation of artist exhibits. Last year, the center hosted eight emerging and established artists work in its Visual Arts Exhibition Series. It also conducted the popular Community Showcase exhibition, which features the work of local artists, makers and creators, plus the Youth Art Exhibit.
If you haven’t stopped by lately, the art center’s gift shop is not to be missed. It features the work of 25 local artists highlighting the talent in our region. It’s the perfect place to pick up a unique gift. Options range from jewelry and scarves to pottery, artwork and more. It brought in a net of $3,484 last year.
What sets the Hutchinson Center for the Arts apart from other art centers is that it serves as the umbrella organization providing a place to meet, ticket sales, insurance, storage and more for local arts groups. Partners include: Crow River Area Youth Orchestra, Crow River Youth Choir, Crow River Singers, Historic Hutchinson, Hutchinson Parks, Recreation and Community Education, Hutchinson Theatre Company, Litchfield Area Male Chorus, Minnesota Pottery Festival, No Lines Improv Troupe and RiverSong Music Festival.
The evening ended on a high note of the presentation of the Wirt Award. Justin Beck, HCA board chair, presented a gift from the art center’s gift shop to 2022 recipient — Kay Johnson.
The Wirt Award was established in 2019 by the Hutchinson Center for the Arts to recognize outstanding local citizens for their commitment to building community through the arts. The Wirt Award is named after Tom Wirt, one of several visionaries who helped bring the Hutchinson Center for the Arts to life. Wirt understood the power of sharing resources and using the arts to strengthen the community. The result is a thriving arts hub with a range of groups helping to entertain and inspire artists and audiences.
Following Wirt as honorees were Corey Stearns in 2020 and Greg Jodzio in 2021.
To learn more about HCA, visit www.hutchinsonarts.org or call 320-587-7278. The art center is at 15 Franklin St. S.W. Winter hours are 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Wednesday through Friday, and 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday.
