Fine Arts is spread out around campus with art at the edge of campus in Building 19 and music right in Building 6 in the middle of campus with little space for both to operate.
Jim Loos, music professor, explained to students that it is hard to find times where both the instructor’s and student’s schedules are both open.
The music department only has one room to hold all their classes, which limits how much one can get done at once.
So what is the answer to this problem? James Loos suggested building a Fine Arts building and Krista Wolter, art professor, agrees. This new building would be able to put all spectrums of fine arts under one roof. This building would also have space for more classrooms, which means more convenient lesson times for music and more classes for art.
This also means art would have a gallery, or at least a display case, and music would have an official place to perform.
This isn’t a new idea. Originally, Dean Jim Stick and James Loos were on a committee to build a fine arts building roughly 10 years ago. The schools and city of Ankeny could use but would also help fund it. Unfortunately, this never got off the ground.
Felicia Vilieger, from Altoona and majoring in Nursing said, “The auto building has its own building and the nursing building has its own building.”
That’s not all. Loos would be able to expand with more space and Wolter said she might be able to put the art program on par with the other nearby community colleges.
Loos said the music department would have an orchestra created and possibly a performing jazz band.
Wolter said the art department would be able to separate their art classes into different rooms, which would help with both storage and making sure art isn’t accidentally ruined or destroyed.
Loos said that some people don’t even know that there is a music program. He also said that there are people who are retired and graduated who simply want to learn how to play an instrument.
There is a solution to this, however. Stick has suggested building a performing arts building and involving the community and possibly some performences by well-known artists or musicians. This would mean that the building would turn into a public use building like Building 5, but it would also mean that they would help fund the building, which is what we need.
“It may be a stimulus for this whole thing,” said Stick.
Lindsey Page, a music major, said, “Not only could the building bring performing arts into the community, but the building could also be used for more classes and clubs on campus.”
So what is DMACC’s chances of getting the building? Pretty high, the town of Ankeny is growing and is larger than it was with the original committee, said Stick. Stick is also hoping that Building 5 will spark some interest in building a performing arts building whether for the parents of Ankeny, their children, or anyone in Ankeny. It comes down to the fact that there is a need and a want, so it could potentially happen.
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