When the Fountain City Art Guild learned that the Fountain City Library would be moving to a new location, they discussed the idea of reusing the old library building for a community art center. In January 2003, guild members toured the Oak Ridge Art Center, gathering advice on bylaws, financing, and community involvement.

The guild received approval from the Fountain City Park Commission, which owns the building, and then launched a major publicity and fundraising campaign. They also began the paperwork for becoming a
501(C)3 organization, and this nonprofit status was granted in February 2005.

Guild members volunteered to clean, paint, and furnish the building for art exhibits and classes.

The Fountain City Art Center at 213 Hotel Avenue opened with a public reception in October 2004. Since then, the center has sponsored five additional exhibitions with public receptions, and begun a series of monthly “lunch and learn” talks open to the public.

The center has offered dozens of classes in watercolor, oil and acrylics, pottery, cartooning, knitting, printmaking, and pastels. The center also sponsored one-day workshops (on figure drawing, pumpkin carving, and Ukrainian egg decorating), and has partnered with Covenant Health to offer programs for seniors, including the Covenant Health Passport Display.

From the beginning, the center collaborated with local schools to exhibit children’s artwork in a special section, and in summer 2005, began a scholarship program for 45 children (grades 3-12) to take free art classes

Fundraisers have included an auction and a garden party luncheon that each raised $5,000. By June 2005, the art center had 400 members and was able to hire a paid director. Art Guild volunteers continue to staff the center during business hours.

The center also is home to the Parkside Gallery which offers artwork for sale by guild members. Another aspect of the center is to serve as an arts and crafts lending library, and a collection of art books and videos is being acquired.

The mission of the Fountain City Art Center, Inc. is to provide a stimulating environment where members of the community will be drawn to take part in a wide variety of visual art experiences. An important long-term goal is to build a permanent museum of art by purchasing the best works by area artists for the enrichment and enjoyment of the public.