The Sturgis Center for the Arts provides many different opportunities for the citizens of all ages in the Sturgis area. They have created an environment that ecourages and accepts all who participate in the many different programs they offer. Michelle, Rick, and all the teachers we have encountered give 110%. The small community the center serves has always struggled and the last year has been a tough one. The center is a warm,comfortable oasis that on any given day(or evening) will find an assortment of people of all ages learning, sharing,and enjoying the many services they provide.The center has improved the quality of our familys' life this past year by opening the door to the beauty of music for our daughters. They have experienced the fun and excitement of learning to play and perform musical instruments as well as giving back to the community in some small way. The atmosphere of the center is one that even an eleven year old boy wants to experience! The center is a vibrant part of the community and very much an example of why ART is the heART of a community.
In my opinion, the Sturgis Center for the Arts fills a need in our community that no other organization has been able to do. From the preschool art discovery classes that my son participated in to the painting classes that my mother participated in to Spanish lessons to tutoring to music lessons, the Center seems to have activities and events for every interest and every age group. Michelle is very community-oriented, even offering to let me use their space for free to teach my yoga classes. In this small town where most kids used to have the excuse of having nothing to do, the Sturgis Center for the Arts is turning things around, offering positive, creative, educational, and fun experiences for people of all ages.
I've been involved with the Sturgis Center for the Arts since its opening as a student, as a performer, and as a member of the public. As an older adult, it was wonderful for me to be in an art class together with young children and explore different ways of expressing ourselves. I also participated in guitar and writing workshops with adults. As a storyteller performing at the Center, I appreciate how well Michelle, Rick, and the volunteers set up the sound system, arrange the space, and attract the audience. They go out of their way to decorate for special occasions. As a member of the public I've come for art shows, book discussions, to hear Lakota speakers, to sit in on Friday night jams, and to just hang out. I love seeing the latest projects on the walls and tables and always feel welcome. Many of the other comments have mentioned how great a place this is for kids. It's very comfortable for adults as well.
I serve as one of the instructors at Sturgis Center for the Arts. Never have I enjoyed such a musically and artistic atmosphere! Michelle and Rick have done a wonderful job of setting up this center and promoting the enrichment of music. They are so supportive of everyone, young or old. The students enjoy taking lessons at SCA where there is every music book and instrument they can imagine right there at their fingertips. There is plenty of opportunity to learn to play together or as a soloist. It is a safe place to come and hang out, and jam like so many kids yearn for.
Sturgis Center for the Arts is the only organization in the city of Sturgis that promotes integrity of its citizens for the sole purpose of enrichment. Michelle, Rick and all the volunteers have provided opportunities that people of all ages would never have been given without their vision of an arts community. What hatched the Sturgis Center for the Arts was when Michelle tried to enroll her daughter in a local music class, she was denied enrollment because the daughter was a child. This prompted Michelle to open an art facility that allowed anyone who wants to enrich their lives access to these resources. This story stands testament to the personal investment in community that Michelle felt was her responsibility when she suffered the rejection by a stagnant and selective 'community arts program.' I have worked with numerous art centers offering workshops and classes, Sturgis Center for the Arts was the only one to offer such a wide variety of music classes. Many at risk teens have found dedication in the music community built by this Center. Opportunities provided by the Center's open mic nights, battle of the bands, and Bike Art and Music (BAM) festivals provide confidence and a variety of mentors in a variety of genres.
For children and adults in Sturgis and the outlying area, the Sturgis Center for the Arts is a welcoming gathering location. Activities that I have enjoyed there include: a weekly preschool art class which I took my 4 year old grandson to, Halloween storytelling by the Black Hills Storytellers,introductory painting for adults, and, most recently, teaching Spanish for the summer enrichment program as well as tutoring reading. All who enter the Center feel warmly accepted and broaden their horizons.
As member of the board of directors I take very little credit as to how great the center fills a niche on our community for people of all ages and walks of life. Rick and Michele Grocek had a vision and they didn't give up until they reached their goal of establishing an Art Center in Sturgis. Their leadership and dedication is an inspiration to me to keep working on a plan to see the Center grow. So many lives have been enriched through the Center. It is truly a blessing for our town.
The Sturgis Center for The Arts is an amazing place that brings such a diverse population together with a common denominator- an interest in the Arts. All with a pleasant and welcoming aura. What a wonderful place for people of all ages!! Our son utilized their guitar lessons, sold an amp and participated in many "open jam" sessions. They also went out of their way to help them start a band, even going so far as to help with T-shirt sponsorship and so much more. I was able to take a group of teenagers to a community meeting, where they spoke about their passion for the Center for the Arts and discovered what advocating meant, and were so hopeful that a new building would be acquired. They also volunteered during the rally to move all of the equipment, which instilled in them a sense of community. Recently the Board I serve on (Piedmont Park Board) was able to partner with them for their BAM (Bike and Music)festival providing a place for the bikes to unload. Hopefully next year we can give them a greater send off!!
The Sturgis Center for the Arts has been a wonderful place for children of all ages. At anytime during the day, one might see piano lessons, watercolor art lessons, ukelele group sessions, charcoal sketching, pottery, or people gathered around sharing their lives with others. The teachers are caring and considerate of the children and adults that they teach. Tony Hill built a banjo and learned to play so he could teach my son to play. Michelle and Rick encourage good behavior in the children and young adults that like to "hang out" at the Art Center. They allow creative freedoms coupled with thoughtfulness of others. Keep up the great work--Sturgis Center for the Arts. Your work and investment in the lives of the people of our community is priceless. Nancy Vencill
We have been so thankful for the Sturgis Center for the Arts. It has been a tremendous source for a variety of music lessons as well as a variety of art projects. My oldest daughter loves going there after school. They have also provided her with opportunities to use her music skills in the community. She's gotten the opportunity to play piano at various nursing homes in our community, as well as at a Holiday Open House that is held at our Community Center. Those experiences have been wonderful confidence builders for her. Everyone is so kind and helpful and they really try to help her reach her full artistic potential. They have been a great addition to our community! I cannot imagine our community without them!
I am a previous elementary teacher and member of the community which the Center serves. Our school has no art program, and the Center for the Arts has always opened its doors to help us! Anytime we asked about a topic or needed supplies or ideas, the Center was always there to help, show, and teach the students about real art! It is a wonderful resource in a smaller town which has limited art opportunities. My students always loved walking down to the Center for an art lesson and to look at art. The students also talked about the after-school and summer programs the Center offered. I am very pleased that some place in our small community offers real-life art experiences for our children when our school district cannot afford to do so. I also sing in a local church praise band and we were able to sing for the music festival B.A.M. that the Center hosts. What a wonderful opportunity for people from across our community to come together and have a wonderful venue and opportunity to share our music. The Center for the Arts has also sponsored and supported activites for our Chamber of Commerce's First Night event on New Year's. The Center is always opening it's doors to the many activities in Sturgis and is always a consistent and reliable source of support. The building in which they are located is artistic in itself. I can't wait to see what other opportunities and adventures they can continue to have and come up with.
The Sturgis Center for the Arts is a great place for all ages and abilities to learn and practice creative arts and music. The staff and instructors really have built this up from nothing. It's brought something rare and wonderful to our community, just as it brings out the rare and wonderful talents of participants who never knew they were artists and musicians.
What goes on in Sturgis, S.D. when the motorcycles leave, is fantastic in itself. This small community has its share of abused, neglected youth --and the always present problem of simple boredom. The Sturgis Center for the Arts creates a healthy family atmosphere for all youth. There are music and art lessons for anyone expressing an interest and a positive, task-oriented atmosphere that teaches life lessons as well as the arts. Art and music are also used creatively to address education and moral issues. No child is turned away as long as they want to learn, want to network with positive role mocels or just need a place to be.
5 Stars, Sturgis Center for the Arts is in a small community with lots of challenges. Everyday the Center reaches out to young people, with music, art, activities, community events, and many other things. My daughter took guitar lessons there and they lowered the membership fee to keep it affordable for kids-some of my daughter's friends hang out here. My family moved to Sturgis when my exhusband and I got divorced. When divorced parents or parents don't get along as my ex and I don't, it makes it so hard on the kids. Parents have to be on the same page, stay involved in the kid's activities, and put their kids in activities that build communities, character, fun, and that are organized. Sturgis Center for the Arts also had hot chocolate after the Christmas parade, my girlfriend had her 4 kids there for activities and fun--it was great for her--the holidays were sad for her. Sturgis Center of the Arts has jam sessions---there is not a whole lot to do in Sturgis and kids are at risk here. It would be so awesome if Sturgis Center for the Arts could get their own permanent building as they have so much more to do in our community and are able to meet the challenge. Thank you for being in Sturgis and thank you for all that you do
I have been aware of the Sturgis since its planning days. In a short time they have developed into a remarkable community organization sharing music and art with the community. I participated in the 2009 BAM Festival with the Chadron State College Professors of Jazz. The event was well planned and well attended. It was a total success from our standpoint.