Editor’s Note: The following was provided by Whitewater Unites Lives (WUL).
Whitewater Arts Alliance (WAA) Board of Directors and Docents have been nominated by Kim Adams as WUL Hometown Heroes, “For their dedicated service, supportive and hands-on work with many special projects and programs, assistance with daily operations of the Cultural Arts Center, and their boundless creativity in celebrating the arts and creating community.”
Gallery Director Kim Adams said, “I have had the privilege of serving the organization as the Gallery Director since mid-December 2023. In my time with the WAA, I have been impressed with our small but dedicated board of directors, our president and 10-year Arts Alliance veteran Jeff McDonald, our student gallery assistants and interns, and our supportive and hands-on docents who help with all sorts of special projects and programs, in addition to our daily operations. Our members are our lifeblood, and we are grateful to each of our members, as well as our many sponsors and donors.”
Adams adds that the WAA is committed to designing ways to help the arts thrive in our community—much like its founding members. “It is our aim to be a place for folks of all ages and backgrounds to be involved, to exhibit and present work, to share talents, to explore and to be curious, and to celebrate the arts—in all forms,” she said.Recent activities in the gallery in the last six months have included re-organizing the space, completing some deep cleaning and giving the gallery space a fresh coat of paint, lining up a weekly cleaning service, and planting additional flowers by the main entrance of the Cultural Arts Center (CAC).
The WAA currently features a different exhibition each month, accompanied by a reception and artist talk. Annual exhibitions include the Members’ Show, Whitewater Unified School District (WUSD) Show, Wisconsin Regional Artists’ Program (WRAP) Exhibition, and the Fran Achen Juried Photography Exhibition. The 15th Annual Fran Achen Juried Photography Exhibition will open on July 5. Additionally, several workshops are hosted in the gallery space on a regular basis. Other events are also sponsored to help highlight art in the community, including the Public Art Project—displayed every summer throughout the downtown area (check out this year’s Retrospective Display of Public Art), the Whitewater Storytelling Festival—a collaborative project with Discover Whitewater, and the annual Savory Sounds concert series occurring in June and July (and supported by many different community businesses).
The group is gearing up for the 20th Anniversary of the Whitewater Arts Alliance in 2025. An Anniversary Celebration Committee is being formed to plan and implement a series of special events during its 20th season.
Adams says, “We are looking for many volunteers to help with planning, promoting, and carrying out the events. We also invite folks to learn and help promote our new slogan of “celebrating the arts and creating community,” and we want all to know that they are welcome!”
More comprehensive information about the WAA can be found at www.whitewaterarts.org, as well as on Facebook.
WUL (Whitewater Unites Lives) is a locally-focused civil and human rights group that works to connect the people in our community and to create opportunities for all people to learn and support each other in our common humanity.
Anyone who would like to nominate a local hero of any age should send their nomination, with a short description, to whitewaterunites@gmail.com.
