Centre for Arts and Artists contributes to Iowa’s art economy

The Centre for Arts and Artists (CAA) is one nonprofit organization that disperses art throughout the community of Newton — a task that assisted the community in its struggles and achieved what Nebraska artist David Belitz calls an “American victory.”

The Iowa Sculpture Festival (ISF) founders created CAA in 2007 for year-round education on the arts and to also explore all creative based activity in Jasper County and the Midwest. The organization provides nine working artist studios, a recently expanded classroom doubling its size and a clay and kiln room. CAA is always striving to assist other artists, much like sheet metal sculptor from Dubuque, Gail Chavenelle.

“They have supported me as an artist and they are the only organization I have trusted for a retail show. They really are extraordinary. I, as an artist, have responded to it. They are that good, that welcoming and that supportive,” Chavenelle said.

Last year, CAA was true to its mission of engaging the community in building appreciation of creativity as it was involved in many activities. For instance, the organization offered the public a weekly space for art-based projects, helped Boy Scouts and 4-H participants on badge projects and provided changing art displays at First Newton National Bank, Uncle Nancy’s, Progress Industries, Hawkeye Stages and Skiff Medical Center.

Residents of Jasper County and Central College, of Pella, also assisted CAA with events like Service Based Learning and Save the Earth, Save the Planet. Although both activities were only a day, the parties involved dedicated excessive amounts of participation and hard work. CAA Executive Director Linda Klepinger couldn’t be more thankful.

“It’s been through incredible volunteerism and generosity of grant sources and community leaders and businesses that have helped us get to this point,” Klepinger said. “I think it has been incredible that this Centre has risen out of the ashes and has been successful in becoming a very important community enmity.”

This year, CAA wants to do much of the same, but plans to get more youth involved. CAA Primary Instructor and Programmer Karen King will be vital in achieving this goal. King organizes birthday parties for both young and old to celebrate the arts by painting or using clay. In the next few months, CAA offers classes that include fuse glass, mosaic, all ages painting, hand building pottery and pottery wheel based instruction. CAA is also scheduled to have Service Based Learning in April for assistance with the organization and Save the Earth, Save the Planet in May to provide another event for children.

“The events and student programs they do are such a gift in building appreciation of art with the youth,” Belitz said.

The future plans of CAA revolve around the addition of a gift shop gallery. The showroom will be a place for artists to be recognized and awarded for their skills. The area will also provide a designated spot for artists’ work as an additional option to the several pieces located throughout the community. The first meeting may be later this year in September to give the public a vision of the gallery.

CAA is a separate 501(c)3 organization, and although Klepinger is the executive director of CAA, the President of ISF and a former member of Arts Connection said, she hopes the public no longer believes that when they donate to one organization they donate to all three. Each organization is dedicated to advancing the arts, but they are all a little different from one another, she said.

“Our mission is clear to us. We can further our mission on a daily basis but there are some things we have to do in stages according to the pennies we can raise. We are not fearful but we know we have set goals,” Klepinger said. “It just takes longer to reach those goals because of funding than we would hope. We just have to be patient and diligent and just keep moving forward.”

CAA is actively involved with four different generations ranging from Boy Scouts, college students, middle-aged adults and even people in their 80s. However, Klepinger knows one of the game changers for the organization was and always will be the amount of volunteerism readily available.

Contact Scott Thenhaus at
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