Profile
BDAAA Programs and Exhibits
The Beaver Dam Area Arts Association presents six art exhibits each year, showing outstanding work from all over the state and the nation. Among others, major exhibits include a fiber arts show in the spring, a wildlife and landscape show in the fall, an annual High School art exhibit offering scholarships for outstanding high school seniors, and a Holiday Gift Gallery, November through December. Visitors are invited to come to the Seippel Homestead and Center for the Arts, 1605 N. Spring Street, Beaver Dam, WI to view the exhibits during regular exhibit hours or by appointment. Among the exhibited works, a number of exhibiting artists also offer work for sale. During the Holiday Gift Gallery, all eight exhibit rooms are filled with items created by artists, available for purchase. Throughout the year, the BDAAA Gift Shop features artists' original works such as jewelry, basketry, glassware, ceramics, photography, art prints, note cards and more, accommodating various tastes and price levels. 
In addition to the major exhibits and the gift shop, BDAAA offers clubs, classes, programs, and special events, emphasizing its commitment to serve the area with art appreciation and “art and nature” education opportunities for all ages. Two major events include FAMILY FUN DAY SUNDAY, a family activity day; and YOUR ART’S DESIRE, BDAAA’s major fundraiser. BDAAA’s exhibits, programs, events, and gardens are primarily dependent upon community volunteer support and community partnership with such organizations as the Beaver Dam Unified School District’s Charter School and the Fox Lake Correctional Institution.
Operation and Management
The BDAAA conducts its operations at the Seippel Homestead and Center of the Arts, a farm estate in the midst of a rapidly developing commercial area that attracts a continuously increasing and varied audience. It is administered by an Executive Director with assistance from a coordinator, volunteer staff, and committees. The Board of Directors includes a balanced representation of business and community advocates from Beaver Dam and other area communities. The association is independently responsible for its operational costs and, as a non-profit community and educational service entity, greatly relies on financial support from Beaver Dam and the surrounding area, including contributions from the P.J. Seippel Foundation, BDAAA patrons, exhibit sponsors, and art and gift shop sales. As the fund-raiser and event committee, BDAAA's "Friends of Art" provides essential assistance.
About the Homestead
The Seippel Homestead was purchased in 1941 by Mr. and Mrs. Henry Seippel. Shortly after the purchase, the home was renovated to its present form. On September 28, 1995, Peter J. Seippel (deceased in 2001), one of the Seippel's four children, purchased the family's homestead for the purpose of preserving the property and making the site available for a community art center. On December 28, 1995, the Beaver Dam Arts Association entered into a contractual agreement with the P.J. Seippel Foundation to operate the Seippel Homestead and Center for the Arts at 1605 North Spring Street, Beaver Dam, Wisconsin. In 1996, Mr. Seippel received the Wisconsin Governor's Award in Support of the Arts in recognition of his establishment of the Center. Through a premise agreement from the Foundation, the Beaver Dam Area Arts Association continues to operate the Center of the Arts with emphasis on visual art exhibits, art education, and participation by all ages for the benefit of Beaver Dam, the surrounding communities, and beyond.
BDAAA History
The Beaver Dam Area Arts Association Incorporated, a non-for-profit organization, was originally organized in 1961 as the Beaver Dam Art Association, and functioned actively for twelve years to promote the arts in Dodge County. Reactivated in 1985, as the Beaver Dam Area Arts Association, the organization has offered a variety of arts events at various sites throughout the area. These events have included the Arts Alive Christmas Gallery at the Beaver Dam Mall, exhibitions at the Dodge County Historical Society and the Beaver Dam Public Library, a "Fine Arts Collection" show at Bank One in Beaver Dam, and, for several years, a music and arts collaboration with the Green Lake Festival of Music at Wayland Academy and the Beaver Dam High School. Quality exhibits, events, and educational programs continue at the Seippel Homestead and Center for the Arts, which has been the home of the Beaver Dam Area Arts Association since December 1995. The permanency of this facility strengthens the association's mission, which is to provide variable, sustainable, high quality, and accessible arts and education resources for people of all ages. |
