CENTERVILLE

WELCOMING THE ARTS

A new mural is just the latest of several arts initiatives in Centerville, a small city with big creativity.

“Arts are good for a community, and that makes them good for economic development,” says Jared Hybertson, who led an effort to transform a dilapidated retail store on Main Street into the Centerville Arts, Commerce and Visitor Center.

A $100,000 grant from the Bush Foundation kicked off the effort to buy and restore the 1914 Leader Clothing Store, which sat empty for 25 years. The total project cost more than $200,000.

Hybertson, who serves as Community & Economic Development director, found support from other civic leaders. The Centerville Arts Council helps to arrange gallery exhibits and special events, including visits from the Missoula Children’s Theater.

Two murals have been painted on Main Street, and a third is now being planned. Amber Hansen, assistant professor of art at the University of South Dakota, is directing an effort that involves the entire town, including youth, in ideas for the painting.

Quality of life initiatives are important to every community’s growth, Hybertson says, and he believes small towns are no different. He and other Centerville residents have even established a welcoming committee to greet families who move to town.

“Studies show that the sooner a new person is welcomed, the more likely they are to stay,” he says. “We want to bridge the gap between the community and newcomers — and the arts are one way to make those connections.”