Visual Art

New space for art exhibits, workshops and more to open in downtown Alexandria – Alexandria Echo Press

October 25, 2025
8 min read

ALEXANDRIA

— A space in downtown Alexandria is currently being renovated and will soon become the new

Center for the Visual Arts.

As of Oct. 1, the

Alexandria Art Guild,

a 501c3 nonprofit corporation, is leasing the space in what used to be the Faction Board Shop, located at

612 Broadway Street.

It is a basement level space, but does have extra wide stairs. The Art Guild is currently raising funds and pursuing the necessary permits to install a lift so that the center will be accessible to everyone. Deja Blue House of Coffee occupies the space above where the new center will be located.

The space will be more than just a gallery though, said Stephen Henning, who was elected in September as the president of the art guild’s board of directors.

Stephen Henning, Alexandria Art Guild’s newly elected board president, helps to renovate the space that will become the Center for the Visual Arts in downtown Alexandria.

“We’re really about workshops and networking of area artists, cultivating our artistic success and growing our skills not only as artists, but also as independent businesses,” he said. “We’re about being a resource for the community and the artists. The ‘gallery’ part of it enables local artists to present themselves to the public and hopefully, even generate some income.”

As a new business and also new members of the

Alexandria Lakes Area Chamber of Commerce,

there will be a ribbon cutting ceremony on Friday, Nov. 7.

And then, he added, the Center for the Visual Arts will be open to the public starting on Thursday, Nov. 20, which Henning said is their first public exhibit – the Holiday Art Sale. The Center for the Visual Arts will then be open Monday through Saturday, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., until Dec. 22.

The center will be closed for a short period of time as the winter months are a slow time of year, said Henning, adding that it will give the Alexandria Arts Guild time to fine tune its business plan. Although a specific date has not been set for the reopening, he said it could be April or even March. Henning noted that there will be fixed hours the center will be open, but that has not been set in stone yet.

Additionally, the Center for the Visual Arts will close again, most likely sometime in September. Henning said this will give them time to reorganize before the next big holiday sale. Hours will also be extended at that time.

Where did the idea come from?

Henning explained that a member of the Alexandria Art Guild, Melissa Werpy, is the one who spotted the space and thought it would make a great area for artists to display their work. Werpy, said Henning, is one of the founding members of the art guild and a former board member. She also is in charge of the Holiday Art Sale.

Alexandria Art Guild member, Jackie Henning, bottom, and Rhea Northington, board member, work on renovating the former Faction Board Shop into the Center for Visual Arts. It is located on Broadway Street in downtown Alexandria.

Werpy ruled out the space, though, as it was in the lower level, Henning said. But then another member, Bonnie Tressler, who had previous arts experience with the arts center in Jamestown, North Dakota, saw the space and told the group she was quite confident that the space would work. Henning added that Tressler is the one who is currently in the process of jumping through all the hoops with the state in order to get the lift installed to make the space accessible to all.

He added that the group is fundraising and doing some grant writing and that hopefully, the lift will be in place before next summer.

After Henning became a member and started to attend the meetings, he encouraged the group to look at the space. They did.

“As I’m looking at it, I asked the group, ‘What are we waiting for?’” said Henning, also telling them there was enough funds to carry them through this year. He also told them that it’s OK to sit on the funds and be proactive, but that they could also just dwindle down to nothing.

He said, “It’s like you just have to pinch your nose and plunge in.” Another member, Rhea Northington, chimed in and said, “If you don’t take risks, you’re not ever going to go anywhere.”

Henning agreed and said that he tends to be a “stir the pot, let’s do something kind of guy.”

Northington chimed in again and said that she loved that and that it was what the group needed.

Shortly after that, in September, Henning was elected as the president of the board. Other board members include Linda Gaugert, secretary and a founding member; Julie Bergstrom, secretary; Bonnie Tressler and Northington, who was elected to the board in August.

How the space will be used

Henning and Northington explained that the Center for the Visual Arts will include a wide range of visual media on display and for sale. There will be quite a large variety including pottery, glass, jewelry, sculpture, textiles, fabrics, many different mediums of paintings and more.

“I don’t think anybody realizes how much talent there is in this town,” said Northington. Henning agreed, adding, “You will find a wide diversity of subject and media, style and approach, abstract and impression.”

Part of Henning’s vision, he said, is that much of the space will be used for retail purposes, but there would also be a wall or two that would be a rotating featured artist display. He wants to do the kind of workshops that will maybe teach people a new technique or let them explore different mediums, but also workshops that will allow artists to enhance their careers such as how to market their art, how to be more professional with their presentations and more.

“So that is my hope, which is why we chose the name we did rather than slapping gallery on the front window,” said Henning. “It’s a center where we are a supporting network for each other and a place where we can help each other grow professionally.”

Henning said it’s exciting to be in the heart of the city and that he’s been telling people that the Alexandria Art Guild is putting art in the heart of downtown Alexandria. He said the art guild is excited to partner with the

Alexandria Downtown Merchants Association,

the

Arts Collaborative,

Arts Initiative of Douglas County

and others.

“I’m looking forward to being a part of the community and not an island unto ourselves, but instead being a vital part of it with art,” said Henning. “We are happy we get to welcome the community into our center during our holiday exhibition so they can see what is available locally.”

For more information about the Alexandria Arts Guild and its variety of

memberships available,

visit its new website at

alexart.org.