The arts are alive! I was privileged last night to be part of a brainstorming discussion for the concrete beginnings of a community art center here in Newton. This is something I dreamed of years ago for Newton, even when I wasn’t living here, and now it looks like it’s finally going to happen. The awesome Micala G-G is heading up a campaign to transform the Expressive Art Center (formerly of Youthville) into a center that will serve as the hub for arts education and expression for kids and adults throughout our community. I’m so excited about the possibilities for this space–classes to be taught, artistic visions to be nurtured, arts partnerships to be established. And all of this in spite of the dire funding situation for the arts in Kansas!