Jess Eisches

The Hallberg Center for the Arts (HC4A), a community arts center in Wyoming, MN, celebrated its 10th anniversary in 2025! We are operated by the Wyoming Area Creative Arts Community (WACAC), which was founded in 2012 and our mission is to encourage creative expression, promote networking of local artists of all ages, and champion a learning environment that builds community participation in the arts. We achieve this by offering 15-20 month long art exhibitions, free monthly music concerts, and a wide variety of arts classes and programs in the Chisago area.

 

One of our goals at the Hallberg Center for the Arts is to foster creativity across all ages. We offer diverse classes, ranging from painting and stained glass workshops to basket weaving and felting, engaging both children and adults. The popular "Kids Are Artists, Too!" program provides a free canvas and paint at local festivals, inspiring almost 1000 young artists annually. Throughout 2024 and 2025, we expanded this program to monthly youth workshops, blending art instruction with storytelling. This initiative was a resounding success, introducing over 2,500 children to the arts in 2025 alone. Recognizing the desire for creative engagement among seniors, we launched another successful outreach project in 2024, offering free art classes in assisted living facilities and at the art center. This program continued into 2025, servicing almost 600 seniors last year! Every month, the HC4A also hosts Songwriters in the Round, a live music series showcasing original pieces from three different songwriters, promoting musical diversity with local & Twin Cities musicians. These events are also free to the public. In the past year we expanded this and began an Open Mic night every other month, offering our stage to spoken word artists, musicians and storytellers.

 

WACAC aims to create an inclusive space and foster partnerships with local community organizations & schools to engage in collaborative projects that promote diversity & cultural understanding. We also implement practices that prioritize the inclusion of all visitors, including those with disabilities. Our commitment was recognized by the Forest Lake Area Chamber of Commerce, which named us 2024 Non-Profit of the Year.