Arts group transcends GRO-Warren
ACA won’t be affected by demise of agency
November 1, 2011
, The Times Observer
The dissolution of GRO-Warren, whose board of directors voted to resign last week, comes as the cash-strapped group struggled to find its niche within the community.
But the news hasn't slowed down a core group established under the former economic development organization. In fact, the Allegheny Center for the Arts is hoping to excel on its own essentially establishing itself as a viable organization in downtown Warren.
That may have been the plan all along.
"Actually, from the very beginning we figured we would become independent," ACA Board President Mark Davis said Monday. "We really knew that we wanted to be a stand-alone group, even as GRO-Warren worked to get us a building."
That building, however, may have been the beginning of the end between the two groups. Failed attempts to develop a Liberty Street building into a thriving arts center forced the ACA to find its own home which it did next door within Watt Office Design.
Davis said the two groups started off with a strong bond, which included a liaison who would sit in on ACA board meetings. That, however, changed, he said, right as former GRO-Warren Executive Director Chris Cheronis resigned in July.
"The first year we started, we had a contact person, but that ended before she resigned," Davis said. "They haven't sent a liaison in at least a half a year."
Cheronis was forced to step down due to a lack of pay, which highlighted the organization's growing financial problems.
But Davis said no anomosity lies between the two entities, noting GRO-Warren's key role in getting the ACA up and running.
"We wouldn't have gotten started without them," Davis said. "They were very helpful to us and I think it was too bad that it took the turn that it did."
Harvey Stone, former GRO-Warren board vice president, also acknowledged the success of the arts center, pointing out art shows and classes which become building blocks for the ACA.
The ACA is now in the process of securing its own 501(c)(3) tax-exempt designation, a status which GRO-Warren was able to provide. "We were able to use that (status) with them, even though they were going in that direction," he said of mounting financial problems.
Davis said the ACA is considered a non-profit organization through the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, although the group is looking to secure its own 501(c)(3) status once funding is procured. The status reserved for religious and educational institutions is given to non-profit groups for tax exempt purposes.
"We were hoping they would last longer and we could put that off, but we are very seriously looking at that," Davis said.
The ACA is currently gearing up for a second cycle of classes, which should begin Jan. 3, 2012. Davis said the group currently has 50 members and 15 teachers, although he hopes to see both numbers grow as the organization moves forward.
"Now we have to attract students," he said. "We have a good base of teachers; now we just have to find a way to attract new students."
But the news hasn't slowed down a core group established under the former economic development organization. In fact, the Allegheny Center for the Arts is hoping to excel on its own essentially establishing itself as a viable organization in downtown Warren.
That may have been the plan all along.
"Actually, from the very beginning we figured we would become independent," ACA Board President Mark Davis said Monday. "We really knew that we wanted to be a stand-alone group, even as GRO-Warren worked to get us a building."
That building, however, may have been the beginning of the end between the two groups. Failed attempts to develop a Liberty Street building into a thriving arts center forced the ACA to find its own home which it did next door within Watt Office Design.
Davis said the two groups started off with a strong bond, which included a liaison who would sit in on ACA board meetings. That, however, changed, he said, right as former GRO-Warren Executive Director Chris Cheronis resigned in July.
"The first year we started, we had a contact person, but that ended before she resigned," Davis said. "They haven't sent a liaison in at least a half a year."
Cheronis was forced to step down due to a lack of pay, which highlighted the organization's growing financial problems.
But Davis said no anomosity lies between the two entities, noting GRO-Warren's key role in getting the ACA up and running.
"We wouldn't have gotten started without them," Davis said. "They were very helpful to us and I think it was too bad that it took the turn that it did."
Harvey Stone, former GRO-Warren board vice president, also acknowledged the success of the arts center, pointing out art shows and classes which become building blocks for the ACA.
The ACA is now in the process of securing its own 501(c)(3) tax-exempt designation, a status which GRO-Warren was able to provide. "We were able to use that (status) with them, even though they were going in that direction," he said of mounting financial problems.
Davis said the ACA is considered a non-profit organization through the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, although the group is looking to secure its own 501(c)(3) status once funding is procured. The status reserved for religious and educational institutions is given to non-profit groups for tax exempt purposes.
"We were hoping they would last longer and we could put that off, but we are very seriously looking at that," Davis said.
The ACA is currently gearing up for a second cycle of classes, which should begin Jan. 3, 2012. Davis said the group currently has 50 members and 15 teachers, although he hopes to see both numbers grow as the organization moves forward.
"Now we have to attract students," he said. "We have a good base of teachers; now we just have to find a way to attract new students."
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