TrueNorth Cultural Arts finds new home

Launches ‘Best Yet to Come’ campaign for new space

A local arts organization has found a new space for music, fine arts, dance and theater.

TrueNorth Cultural Arts has announced its programming will move to 739 Moore Road in Avon Lake for 2018.

“I’m just very excited,” said Rick Fortney, TrueNorth Cultural Arts founder. He remains the executive and artistic director of the organization.

The space is the former Lesco Office Building, with two floors and 12,000 square feet of space to become a new gallery for performances and rehearsals, Fortney said.

TrueNorth Cultural Arts will continue its programs while growing into the new space, Fortney said.

The building will have room for private instruction, fine art and ceramic studios, painting parties, summer theater camps, music lessons

and more, he said.

It also is located in Avon Lake near Avon and Sheffield Village, with the state Route 611 and Interstate 90 interchange, connecting to the rest of Lorain County and the west side of Cleveland, Fortney said.

TrueNorth Cultural Arts announced the move Oct. 25, but it won’t happen in a weekend, Fortney said.

The organization will launch a capital campaign to raise $50,000 for the changes. The theme of the campaign is TrueNorth’s “Best is Yet to Come!” a message relating to the organization and to the power of arts to enrich and strengthen communities.

“It’s just a fresh start and we need time to, one, raise funds, and two, update some of the building,” Fortney said. “To do it right we need to not just jump into it.”

Meanwhile, this fall TrueNorth Cultural Arts has a slate of concerts for

its 2017-2018 season, which is the 18th season of performances.

A Thanksgiving concert will be 7:30 p.m. Nov. 17 and a Christmas concert will be 7 p.m. Dec. 17, both at Emerald Event Center, 33040 Just Imagine Drive, Avon.

TrueNorth Cultural Arts operated for years at the French Creek Nature Center, 4530 Colorado Ave., Sheffield Village. In May 2016 Fortney announced the organization would part with Lorain County Metro Parks.

Since then, TrueNorth has had rehearsal and performance space at Bay Presbyterian Church, 25415 Lake Road, Bay Village; Lake Shore United Methodist Church, 33119 Electric Blvd., Avon Lake; and Rose Senior Living, 33200 Health Campus Blvd., Avon.

“So we’ve covered all three towns, too,” Fortney said. He added he and all participants in TrueNorth Cultural Arts programs are grateful to those organizations for allowing the arts group to use their spaces.