About Us
OUR MISSION
The purpose of the Mt. Vernon Regional Arts Council, Inc. shall be to broaden the area's knowledge and participation in the arts throughout Mt. Vernon and the surrounding community with the goal of strengthening the arts in the region. We wish to add value to the quality of life in our community through communication and education about the arts.
MOUNT VERNON REGIONAL ARTS COUNCIL, INC
Is a public non-profit organization and was established in 2007 for the purpose of providing arts experiences in a rural community and our region. The organization is managed by a volunteer Board of Directors and is supported by extraordinary community volunteers and artists.
OUR HISTORY
Mt. Vernon Regional Arts organized in 2007. Having coffee together, several artists were complaining that the city had no arts activities after high school. They decided to take action. Googling “How to start an arts council,” they discovered the Missouri Arts Council (MAC) and the Missouri Association of Community Arts Agencies (MACAA). Both awarded the newly-formed arts council with direction and grants to develop the arts in a rural community.
Our first project was The Not so Square Arts and International Tango Festival. Bringing in tango dancers from Argentina and New York, as well as regional artists, authors, and musicians helped create a unique environment for our community. Traveling through Mt. Vernon during the festival, the state director of tourism stayed for the event. He later published his view that the Not so Square Arts Festival “was a hoot.”
After our first success, the arts council developed programs with artists, authors, dancers, filmmakers, and actors. We created as many as 50 arts events each year. From these events, other arts councils developed. Authors created Home Grown Books; actors created two theatre groups, and all branched out on their own after the initial support.
Mt. Vernon Regional Arts created the following arts events: Movies in the Park, Movies at the MARC, (Mt. Vernon Arts and Recreation Center) Canvas and Coffee, the Not so Square Youth Theatre, Music in the Park, Music at the MARC, Mt. Vernon Youth Symphony, Studio 822, Art in the Library, the Not so Square Film Festival, Creative Memories (art classes for people with dementia), and art classes at the Veterans’ Home and local nursing homes. We also brought in traveling exhibits, music, and Vincent Van Goat, a unique arts project for children.
Most notably, the arts council built a theatre since our community and schools did not have one. We built two art galleries, an art studio, and partnered to build a stage/pavilion in the park. We purchased a green space on the square for events and created Veterans’ Way. Veterans’ Way is a street that has a large Veterans’ Way mural and veterans’ art from the Missouri Veterans’ Home to the Missouri Veterans’ Clinic. The mural depicts how our square historically looked, featuring local veterans throughout wars, starting with the Revolutionary War to Iraq. Since Mt. Vernon is home to many veterans who live and travel here, Mt. Vernon honors them.
Mt. Vernon Regional Arts Council also supported “The Freedom Endeavor”by photographer Steve Snyder. His photography captures veterans today, holding pictures of themselves in uniform when they served. Each photo comes with a story about the person’s service and life. This exhibit traveled across the state and region and was featured at Kansas City’s Veterans’ Day Celebration.
Because of its impact across rural communities, Mt. Vernon Regional Arts, Inc., an all-volunteer organization, was honored with The Missouri Arts Award for arts organizations, Springfield Regional Arts’ “Ozzie” for arts organizations, and several state awards for our Veterans’ Way project and community betterment. Missouri uses our arts organization as an example that even a town of 4500 can create arts programs for its community.
Mt. Vernon Regional Arts wishes to welcome artists in our region and to continue offering new programming. We strongly believe the arts enrich all communities, no matter how small.