HISTORY OF THE BUILDING
In 2012 we purchased the building with a gift from a benefactor, and spent the first year renovating & reconstructing a 115 year old church into a Community Cultural Center, thru volunteer labor. The first year we held multiple events in the theatre including theater, music and performance art offerings. We offered classes in movement, folk and fine arts. We became a place for community gatherings and provided a performance space for 4 school groups. We held 3 group art shows and 3 solo shows in our gallery, 3 artists- in residence began to transform the garden level of the building into a 3 pronged permanent installation, showcasing fine, technical and folk arts. We began forging relationships with community theater groups, local schools, the Kickapoo Homeschool group, Driftless Folk School, Driftless Writing Center, Wild Peace Sangha, local community radio station WDRT and multiple teachers and artists.
2013 began the year of great transformation: walls were removed, rooms redone, big art installations proceeding apace, the theater lighting, stage, backstage projects all took off. The Driftless Folk School took up a year long residence in exchange for renovating a garden level office that is now home to the ARK administration team. An audio visual studio was largely completed also.