KINGWOOD — The Preston Community Arts Center is seeking additional funding.
At a recent Preston County Commission meeting, Rochelle DeLoach, treasurer of the arts center, requested $10,000.
“We ended last year $6,000 in the red,” she said. “We have about five months of rent left.”
DeLoach said it costs the center $500 a month for rent and $7,505 a year for performers. She said one of the biggest expenses is the $2,000 a year insurance for performers.
Commissioners tabled the request until their next meeting.
Currently the art center has seven board members with four elected officers — president and executive director Mary Hibbs, vice president Paul Burger, secretary Robin Knotts and treasurer Raquel DeLoach.
In an email, DeLoach said the art center’s mission is to provide a venue for musicians, both local and national, and to provide an environment for children and their families to learn and grow in the arts.
“Paul Burger is our music guru and has begun a new music series this year titled the Bring It Home Music Series. It is an opportunity for local West Virginia musicians to play every Friday night,” she said. “Josh Waugh, one of our volunteers, hosts a singer songwriter workshop every Tuesday night at 7 p.m. The workshop is for people of all skill levels wanting to learn more about music at all levels.”
DeLoach said she has taken on the role of the children’s art program director and has started a home-schoolers art class that meets at 1 p.m. the last Tuesday of the month. She said the children will begin by studying masters like Monet and Picasso this month.
“We also have a Kids Art Club at 6 p.m. on the last Tuesday of the month,” DeLoach said. “This June, for the first time in Preston County, we will have a children’s theater program.”
She said that program will be free and intended to further county home-schoolers learning through the summer months. Participants will put on a performance in August.
“In order for us to keep doing all of these wonderful things, we do need funding. Due to the large turnover in staff, we were unable to apply for grants last year. Also, there are very few grants available to Preston County,” DeLoach said.
She said the arts center is primarily funded by private donations and grants. A fundraiser was scheduled for every month this year, and they are preparing to apply for a few grants, she said.
“The community desperately needs the art center. We are in dire need of funding at this time. All of us love the arts center and put our heart and soul into it,” DeLoach said.
Donations can be made to the Preston Community Arts Center, 123 S. Price St., Kingwood, WV 26537 or through its cloud account at www.YouHelp.com.
