8
BEHIND THE SCENES
JANUARY 26�FEBRUARY 2, 2022
FROM THE
COVER
Art centers pivot during the pandemic
By Lisa Britton
Go! Magazine
EASTERN OREGON
ART CENTERS
Pendleton Center for the Arts
214 N. Main St., Pendleton
Tuesday-Friday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.
Saturday, noon-4 p.m.
pendletonarts.org
Art Center East
1006 Penn Ave., La Grande
Wednesday-Friday, noon-5 p.m.
Saturday, 10 a.m.-2 p.m.
artcentereast.org
Josephy Center for Arts & Culture
403 N. Main St., Joseph
Monday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.
josephy.org
Crossroads Carnegie Art Center
2020 Auburn Ave., Baker City
Monday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.
www.crossroads-arts.org
Painted Sky Center for the Arts
118 Washington Ave., Canyon City
paintedskycenter.com
* The art centers also post
updates on social media
A
rt centers across East-
ern Oregon are still
weathering the eff ects of the
pandemic, but directors in the
region agree that the arts are
essential.
“It’s more important than
ever,” said Darcy Dolge, execu-
tive director of Art Center East
in La Grande. “The arts are here
to remind people of kindness
and compassion and what re-
ally matters.”
Art centers have continued
to provide artistic opportuni-
ties in whatever way possible
despite the ever-changing
times.
“Our main interaction with
the community is classes,”
Dolge said.
ACE was closed, with staff
furloughed, in 2020 from March
to August.
“The board did an amazing
job of grant writing and keeping
everything alive,” Dolge said.
Art Center East/Contributed image
Classes, such as this one on batik painting at Art Center East in La Grande,
are still off ered at art centers across Eastern Oregon, although most are
at reduced enrollment due to space.
And artists stepped forward
to help by donating work to
raise funds for the center.
Crossroads Carnegie Art
Center in Baker City was
closed for 50 days, reopening
May 15, 2020.
“And we’ve never closed
since then,” said Ginger Sav-
age, executive director.
Crossroads has a First
Friday art show opening every
Support Crossroads — Your Community Art Center
2020 Auburn Avenue
Baker City, Oregon
541.523.5369
Crossroads is open
Monday - Saturday
10:00am - 5:00pm
Gallery • Classes • Special Events
Visit www.crossroads-arts.org to become a member.
month, and those have contin-
ued during the last two years.
Attendance, however, has not
returned to pre-pandemic
numbers.
Crossroads restarted adult
classes in May 2020.
“All of our classes were
really tiny,” Savage said.
Youth classes are back now,
and the studio at Crossroads
has welcomed three ballet
classes this month.
“It’s been really joyful,” Sav-
age said. “It’s good to have that
back, that laughter.”
Dolge said classes at ACE
are fi lling up but continue to
have decreased capacity.
“The majority of art centers
have limited space,” she said.
But people are still signing
up.
“People are so excited to be
there,” Dolge said.
The Josephy Center for
Arts and Culture in Joseph
canceled classes and exhibit
receptions, but those are re-
turning.