As former Director of Visual Arts and Board Member of the Hastings Prescott Area Arts Council (HPAAC), Mecca was thrilled to discover well over 100 artists living in and around the Hastings/Prescott area. In 2012, on behalf of HPAAC, Mecca opened the Orange Dragon Art Gallery, located in Prescott, WI, and co-managed the gallery until June 2015.

During that time, it became clear that artists wanted more than just a place to exhibit, display and sell artwork. Not surprisingly, most artists have studios in their homes, so they do not need to rent space elsewhere. However, many artists are interested in teaching and/or taking classes, but don’t necessarily have large enough home studio spaces to offer such.

That discovery set the wheels in motion for BreakAwayArts - a community-based Center for Creativity. In October 2014, Mecca reached out to the local artists to ask if they would support such a project. The answer was a resounding Yes! Fifteen artists and business owners formed a “volunteer board” and met every other week for nearly a year to design the infrastructure of the business, using a fitness center, membership-based business model.

In March 2015, Mecca found the perfect location: a two story former bank building which provided an upper level space for an artisanal café/art gallery, as well as administrative offices and a lower studio level, ideally suited for an arts school. Renovation of the lower level included creating 6 workshop/studio spaces and was completed in time to open for RivertownDays last July.

Nearly 30 artist instructors offer classes in a variety of mediums including painting, drawing, photography, digital art, fused and stained glass, mosaics, fiber arts, jewelry-making, handmade paper and paper mache’ clay, as well as pottery.

BreakAwayArts launched a youth arts program last fall and routinely offers classes to adults with special needs. In January, a registered Art Therapist came aboard to design programs for caregivers and seniors in our community.