the Creative Arts Center

Leveraging a recent $100,000 Blandin grant, Art of the Lakes (AOTL) signed a lease, January 1, 2024 for its new Creative Arts Center (CAC) in Battle Lake. The Creative Arts Center, housed in the former First Lutheran church building at 112 Main Ave. W, has allowed AOTL to grow beyond our visual arts footprint to add experiences in theater, dance, digital media, culinary arts, and more. 

Although our existing art gallery and events have been a vital part of Battle Lake’s quality of life, this expansion has enabled us to broaden our vision of what art is all about and to serve even more people in the community. 

In our first year of programming at the CAC, we’ve led 48 various art classes from woodcarving to woodburning, watercolor to clay, fiber arts to culinary, and more. We’ve hosted an informative speaker series, community gathering space, a community art engagement, a book launch, a series of artist support sessions, a wedding, and stepped in as an emergency backup fundraising venue for the school.

We feel the greatest benefit has been our ability to now provide art classes to the Battle Lake elementary grade students. Art for them in the classroom has not been available primarily due to lack of school funding to cover the cost of expensive art classes.

This effort comes at a price which we’re having difficulty absorbing in this early phase of our development. We’re constantly challenged to make the arts affordable to our rural community. Art classes tend to be more expensive than other classes due to pricey art materials and equipment. Classrooms need water and enough room for students to move about which gets reflected in the building’s lease. And finally, the greatest expense goes to the art instructors who make this effort all worthwhile.

Our request for funding is to help support our next phase of program development. 

Affordable Arts & Cultural Experiences. Performances & events given by Andria Theatre out of Alexandria, DanceBarn in Battle Lake, Springboard for the Arts in Fergus Falls, as well as the many independent art classes we’ve offered have been supported partially thru various grants we’ve received. Without their support, many of these arts engagements would be financially beyond our ability to provide and for many in our community to attend. We know the desire to participate in these offerings is there. However, for the CAC to become more sustainable, programming fees need to be more affordable to draw more registrations—which in turn, helps make our classes more affordable for us to offer. Funds from this effort will support our program’s sustainability.

Updated technology. As part of the expansion into the new Creative Arts Center, there's now a need for connectivity between two spaces. Additional funds will help replace and upgrade our outdated computers, monitors, and supporting software. 

Together, arts and culture can revitalize and reshape our community. Art of the Lakes’ contributions to the arts has made our region more vibrant and attractive, drawing in visitors and residents who are proud to call it home. Were confident your help in supporting the new Creative Arts Center in Battle Lake is an investment you’ll be proud to be a part of. Thank you for your financial support.