SHELL LAKE, Wis. (WJMC) — Last week, a ribbon cutting for the new atrium at the Shell Lake Arts Center.
The new addition replaces the original structure connecting the auditorium and classrooms. The new atrium improves accessibility and will help the art center expand programming beyond summer camps with more community classes and cultural events. Executive Director Travis Christopherson tells us what the future of the space looks like.
“The new atrium is really going to be a multifunctional room. It’s going to be set up ideally for even wedding receptions, things like that. It provides a space in between our [Erika] Quam theater and the larger auditorium upstairs,” Christopherson said. “It could hold around 200 people, this new facility. Plus we have a new commercial kitchen that’s going in and I’m very excited about that. We’ll be able to expand some of the menu offerings and also teach cooking classes in there, for instance.”
The $5.2 million project was funded mostly by private donations, with the addition of a $410,000 state grant.