Philosophy

The arts should be accessible to everyone -Creativity fuels life and enriches a community -Appreciation of art is nurtured by exposure and education -The arts are key economic and social drivers for our community -Art contributes to community image and civic pride -Creative expression takes diverse forms -A legacy of art is critical for future generations

Values

Access - We are inclusive, open and embrace diverse ideas, art forms and communities. -Advocacy - We champion the arts and artists in our community. -Collaboration - We are committed to working with others to bring together artists, patrons and communities. Partnerships lead to great accomplishments. -Creativity - We encourage freedom of expression, innovation and imagination. -Fun - It’s everywhere and a by-product of what we do. We pride ourselves on being an engaging and enthusiastic organization. -Professionalism - We pride ourselves on operating our organization with the highest level of excellence, integrity and responsiveness.

EXECTUTIVE DIRECTOR SHELLY BOTTORFF

Our Story

The beginning of the Fort Dodge Fine Arts Association was not an elaborate one. In 1985 the group produced a paper calendar of annual events and put on the Oak Hill Arts Festival. Since this time the group has grown quite a bit by creating a voice for the arts in Fort Dodge. There are now multiple members, events, social media, and the calendar has since moved to Google.