Arts Center could be an economic engine, purchasers believe

Looking to create the heart of the art community of Sisters with the purchase of the former Multnomah Publishers building at 204 W. Adams, Frank and Kathy Deggendorfer also see the property as an opportunity to generate jobs.

Though still in the due diligence period of the sale, the Deggendorfers will pay $500,000 for the 8,000-square-foot building to facilitate nonprofit arts organizations, studios for private artisans, lecture rooms for the public, events and practitioners of the healing arts.

The impetus for creating an art center in Sisters spun out of Kathy Deggendorfer’s years of involvement with the Sisters Folk Festival.

She said she has heard from many adults who were envious of the kids who get to take advantage of Americana Project classes. She is also aware of local artisans’ desire to have a facility in which to meet.

“The original idea and part of the long-range plan was to do this live workspace, where artists live and work in the spaces and create this art incubator,” said Deggendorfer. The “art incubator” would give artists the experience of working at the art center. Then they can go out into the world to work, but with encouragement to “contribute back” by either giving classes or interning for the center.

Though the Deggendorfers have financed the building themselves, their vision is not a straightforward entrepreneurial business venture. They think of it as helping build a community.

“Yes, we got a good deal on the building. But, we’re never going to make any money here and that was not the point,” said Kathy. “The point was to put your money where your mouth is — so we’re donating this lower half to nonprofit groups.”

Kathy said that they would like to provide office space for the Jazz Festival and the Folk Festival. The Folk Festival board has already agreed. The Deggendorfers have candidates for users, but they are still very much in an “information-gathering” phase.

“Nothing is cast in stone. The next few weeks we’re casting around, so it’s really critical that anyone who has an interest contact us,” Deggnedorfer said.

The Community Action Team of Sisters (CATS) will be offered a boardroom and a studio. The Chamber of Commerce will be offered space for an undetermined use.

Practitioners of the healing arts will also be offered space.

“I’d love to combine the performing arts, the visual arts and the healing arts. We have a lot of practitioners here that do acupuncture, message and all kinds of different therapies,” Kathy said.

After attending a conference on the economics of art, Deggendorfer learned “that the three reasons artists move to a community are the ecology of the area, the arts center and the existence of alternative healing.”

Behind the building is an open space that sparks both Kathy’s and Frank’s planning muse. Kathy envisions Katie Emrich, The Garden Angel, landscaping a patio scene to encourage the budding skills of ripening young art students. Frank is exploring the possibility of showing projector movies on the back of the building.

The building could also lend its performance rooms during the music festivals.

The Deggendorfers hope that the Sisters Folk Festival offices will be moved in by festival time.

By November 1, the Deggendorfers would like to host the grand opening and begin to let the public in to take classes. But this date is significant for another reason: “The other thing is that we need to fill the hotel rooms here in the off-season. That starts November 1. So if we have incredible classes planned and wonderful musicians coming to play and great photographers, and film guys, they could do whole weekend long clinics …there’s incredible resources here.”

And the Deggendorfers aim to see them utilized.

“When you’re part of a community, it is your moral obligation to try and make it as wonderful a place as it can be,” she said.

For more information, contact Deggendorfer at 549-4072 or 420-9695.