The Gunnison Arts Center is a nonprofit 501(c)3 organization, which was founded by the Gunnison Council for the Arts in 1989.

The mission statement for the Gunnison Council for the Arts is:
“To enhance the cultural environment of the Gunnison Valley.”

The vision statement for the Gunnison Arts Center is:
“The Gunnison Arts Center strives to achieve the Arts Council’s mission by offering programs in the visual, literary and performing arts year-round to adults and children alike. We are a community arts center dedicated to highlights, showcasing and developing artists and audiences in our community. We believe in the arts. We believe that art gives our community power. We know that there is value in community arts. We believe that cultural recreation is equally important to physical recreation. We believe that each individual in our community is the Gunnison Arts Center.”

History
The Gunnison Council for the Arts, an all-volunteer organization, was started in 1983 by a handful of individuals in the back room of a local restaurant. Most of these individuals had been active in Webster Players, a local theatre group, which could not find suitable performing venues. At the same time, the local dance instructor was outgrowing the space for her classes. In January 1984, the group was incorporated as the Gunnison Council for the Arts and a membership drive was held in 1986 during which 75 members were recruited. In May 1988, the Council leased one of the community’s oldest buildings from First National Bank of Gunnison to house most of the council’s activities, including an art gallery, a 72-seat theatre for drama and music, special exhibits and a variety of classes. The building was built in 1882 as the Denver & Rio Grand Railway Express depot and European Hotel. Through the years, the building housed the Gunnison Hardware Company, a clothing store and a bar/restaurant. The building is now listed on the State Register of Historic Properties and was purchased in 1992 by the Council through the generous support of Gunnison citizens, private foundations and other philanthropists. After an extensive architectural review and planning process, a six-phase renovation project commenced in the fall of 1996 with the renovations being completed in the fall of 2000. Since that time, the programming at the Gunnison Arts Center (“GAC”) has grown to include year-round programming for children and adults alike.

GAC at a Glance in 2006
Unlike many arts centers that only use audience counts to demonstrate their success, the Gunnison Arts Center also emphasizes participation. With the slogan of Get Into It!, the vision for the GAC is that every member of the community should visit the Center to experience hands-on-art-making, as well as to enjoy performances and exhibits. The following 2006 statistics indicate that participation is very strong, especially given that the population for the community is only 7,500 people:

• There were 651 enrollments in the GAC School of Dance
• There were 105 enrollments in the GAC Clay Center classes and workshops
• There were 454 enrollments in “other” GAC classes and workshops (visual, culinary, literary, theatre and music offerings.)
• The GAC offered free or reduced tuition for nearly 50 students through its need-based scholarship program.
• 365 artists displayed their work at the GAC in 2006
• Nearly 600 performing artists from the area performed in the various GAC performances offered during 2006
• Nearly 200 literary artists contributed to GAC literary organizations, performances, workshops and publications
• Four full-time, two part-time and nearly 25 contract staff were employed at the GAC in 2006

May 2008