Two of Springfield's most prominent arts groups will be merging come January 1st. In an effort to make funding more sustainable, the Prairie Art Alliance and the Springfield Art Association will be combining. Both sides voted on the change nearly unanimously on Wednesday. Betsy Dollar heads the Springfield Art Association and says the PAA will be joining forces with it and its campus on the north side of town.
"I think it opens up a huge opportunity to continue to enliven the visual arts in Springfield, change things up, and create new opportunities," says Dollar. She says re-branding efforts are underway, and may result in a name-change for the organization. Dollar says the goal is for the art gallery in the Hoogland Center for the Arts to stay open and become a part of the overall group effort. The PAA has about 80 local artists on its current roster of members. Both groups focus on art outreach and education, Dollar says those efforts will continue to be a top priority.
