Sisters studies potential for arts center

Is it time for a community arts center in Sisters? That's the key question that will be answered through a community visioning project being coordinated through Sisters Park & Recreation District (SPRD) and funded by The Roundhouse Foundation. Community members can provide preliminary input through an online survey open through March.

The survey will be supplemented by interviews with community and arts leaders, and three focus groups that will be open to the public.

"For years, the concept of an arts center has been discussed, mostly informally, among various individuals and groups in the community," said Anne Heath, district business manager for SPRD. "This project is focused on bringing the community together to answer the question, is it time to seriously look at developing a community arts center in Sisters? And if so, what is the community vision for such a project?"

The survey can be accessed at http://www.surveymonkey.com/SistersArtsCenter.

Community meetings are scheduled for April 13, 19 and 21 and will share survey and interview results, as well as gather additional information. If appropriate, a vision document will be created for use in next steps, such as a formal feasibility study and plan. If the answer to the arts center concept is no, then the question will be put to rest, allowing the community to focus its energy elsewhere.

The visioning process is being overseen by a committee that includes Anne Heath; Kathy Deggendorfer, The Roundhouse Foundation; Ann Richardson, executive director, Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show; and Darren Layne, CFP with Edward Jones and SOAR Foundation board member. It is being coordinated by Jan McGowan, a professional nonprofit consultant who lives in Sisters. Questions about the visioning project can be addressed to [email protected] or at 541-549-1971.