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Pump House Regional Arts Center News and Updates - March 2023

Arts and Entertainment

March 3, 2023

From: Pump House Regional Arts Center

Inspired by La Crosse Art Competition

Call to Artists Open March 6, 2023

We are calling all regional artists to share what they love about La Crosse and what inspires them about the area with this Call to Artists! The ‘Inspired by La Crosse’ Art Competition creates a unique opportunity for La Crosse to publicly showcase our area’s talented artists, and enliven our public places with enriching and inspiring content.

Applications will be accepted

March 6th – May 15th, 2023

Sponsored by La Crosse City of La Crosse Arts Board

MORE DETAILS

In Our Theater

Magical Midway of Fun

March 11, 2023

2:00 PM

$7/ticket

A family magic show that will allow you to use your imagination to create the impossible.

Kit Mayer & The Pack with Alex Toast

March 11, 2023

7:30 PM

Kit Mayer brings his original music to the stage along with his band The Pack. Kit Mayer and “The Pack” includes Jeff Sherin on lead guitar, Mark Denny on bass guitar and Paul Herber on drums.

Alex Toast’s music infuses elements of percussive fingerstyle guitar with jazzy folk that gives the music a truly unique sound.

Celtic Stories & Songs

March 17, 2023

7:30 PM

Tickets: $15

Presented by Bluff Country Tale Spinners

Top off your St. Patrick’s Day celebration with Celtic Stories and Song. The local storytelling guild, The Bluff Country Tale Spinners, will be sharing Irish and Celtic stories. Dublin’s Daughters will provide music throughout the evening.

Becky Shaw

Mar. 23*, 24 & 25 – 7:30 PM

Mar. 30, 31, & Apr. 1 – 7:30 PM

Mar. 26 & Apr. 2 – 2:00 PM

A Grey Area Production

Becky Shaw is an amusing and cleverly constructed comedy about ambition, the cost of being truthful, and the perils of a blind date. Meet five distinctively perverse and disingenuously dysfunctional characters striving to best the others with their sharp and witty convictions about love. Strap yourselves in for a comic tale of tangled love lives and a subtle, but acerbic comedy of manners.

Moors & McCumber

April 6, 2023

7:30 PM

Bridging the gap between classic folk rock and present day Americana, Moors and McCumber create that rare chemistry that happens when two gifted singer-songwriters and multi-instrumentalists perfectly complement each other’s strengths. The sound of Moors & McCumber is adventurous, eclectic, and endlessly creative and they write heartfelt songs directly inspired by life’s experiences.

Ellis Paul’s 30th Anniversary Tour with Radoslav Lorkovi?

April 22

7:30 PM

Opening performance by Nick Droz

Ellis Paul is one of those gifted singer/songwriters. Though some may refer to him as a folk singer, he is more, for lack of a better word, a singular storyteller, a musician whose words reach out from inside and yet also express the feelings, thoughts and sensibilities that most people can relate to in one way or another, regardless of age or upbringing.

Sounds of Pakistan: Sana Illahe Concert

April 15

2:00 PM

FREE PERFORMANCE

Sana Illahe, a lecturer in the UWL Race, Gender and Sexuality Studies Department, is a highly trained vocalist in the Hindustani classical music tradition of Pakistan. She is completing a solo album of original songs sung in her native language, Urdu, some of which she is will share with the audience at the Pump House.

A Night with an Adventurer

Canoeing the Mississippi (world record attempt): Judson Steinback

April 4

6:30 PM

FREE, reservations required

In our region we have so many unsung adventure heroes. These are folks flying under the radar, doing great things in their outdoor adventure pursuits, but often never having a platform to share it. Now WE get to be encouraged and inspired by their stories!!!

All performance tickets are available for purchase at the Pump House, over the phone or on our website.

General Public: $30

Members: $25*

Student/Military: $15**

*log in to your online member account for discount, **tickets available at front desk of Pump House with ID (Pricing listed does not include tax. Tax and a $3.50 convenience/handling fee will be added at check out)

Upcoming Performing Arts Details & Tickets

In Our Galleries

March 1 - April 15

Artist Reception: Friday, March 3, 2023, 5-7 PM

Youth Art Exhibitions

Tomah Schools

March 1 – March 18

Onalaska High School

March 22- April 15

More Information on our Visual Arts Exhibitions

Artist Reception & First Friday Downtown Art Walk

Friday, March 3, 2023

5:00 - 7:00 PM

Our receptions coincide with the First Friday Downtown Art Walks! Visit art galleries and stops, enjoy music, demonstrations, and refreshments, then dine at one of the many great Downtown restaurants. Pick up or drop off flyers at our location to be placed in a raffle to win art prizes.

Visit River City Gallery's website for more info on the Art Walk.

More Details

In Our Art Studio

Macrame & Merlot

Beaded Wall Hanging

Saturday, March 18, 2023

1 – 4PM

Come snip, knot and sip during this Macramé and Merlot workshop. Create a work of fiber art complete with natural cotton cording, wooden dowel and large decorative beads while catching up with friends. Learn the classic knots of Macramé, and the Soumak Weave in this easy going workshop.

Instructor: Ashlin Bowyer

$45 – General Public

$38 – Pump House Members

March Clay Class

Salt & Pepper Shakers

Tuesday, March 14 & 21

5:30-7:00 PM

(2-session class)

Spice up your dinner table with custom made ceramic Salt & Pepper Shakers! Designs are endless!

$35 non-members

$30 members

Paint & Pour

Monet's Garden

Tuesday, March 28

6:00 PM

Pump House Members: $30

General Public: $35

* Host a Private Paint & Pour Party!

Get a group together and plan and afternoon at the Pump House creating your very own masterpiece!

Email or call the Pump House to inquire.

Arte en Español (Art in Spanish)

Saturday, March 25, 1-2 PM

Saturday, April 22, 1-2 PM

Combine art and Spanish in one session. A simple piece will be painted with basic geometric figures and colors. Spanish vocabulary will be introduced at the beginning of the session and Spanish will be spoken during the session.

Instructor: CANdia

$35 non-members

$30 members

Ukrainian Eggs

Saturday, April 1

12 - 3:30 PM

This class would teach the basics of making Ukrainian Eggs. Which is a wax resist process similar to Batik. Each participant will leave the class with finished eggs and a kit with the equipment to make more eggs at home.

$40 - General Public

$35 - Pump House Members

Drawing and Painting Lessons Curated Just for You!

Have a special interest in landscape painting, realistic drawing or even abstraction? Or just want to learn the basics? 1 hour classes focused on your passions are now available!

You Set the Date - call to schedule

$20 for 1st session

$25 per reoccurring sessions

Now offering Open Art Studio!

Open Art Studio is a time for artists to have access to our studio for drawing, painting or other 2D projects. Limited supplies offered, participants are recommended to provide needed materials.

Participants must have experience; instruction is not included. No experience? Ask about lessons!

$20 per month

Available Clay Studio Opportunities

Individual clay sessions

Clay & Company Class

Wheel Throwing Workshop

Take Home Clay Kits

Open Clay Studio

More on Classes

Events

Pump House Film Society

Thinking about joining? We accept new members all season! Sign up this month for $52.

 

The February Film Society featured movie was: Flee

 

The next screening is on March 12, 5:00 PM

 

Want to bring a friend or experience Film Society before joining? Guest Tickets are only $20 per screening!


More on Film Society


Host your special event at the Pump House!

For any event!

Weddings, Celebrations of Life, Employee Appreciations, Fundraisers, and so much more!

A wonderful experience awaits you at this unique and historic venue. Located in the arts district of Downtown La Crosse, WI, the Pump House Regional Arts Center is a non-profit organization with great spaces suitable for both small and large gatherings.

Check out our website for more information on Event Rentals.

Artspire

SAVE THE DATE - Saturday, June 10, 2023

The 10th annual Artspire celebration will be a one-day event this year.

Artspire La Crosse is an all-inclusive, FREE, community arts celebration that showcases the power of the arts to create unity in our diverse community. Artspire combines visual, performing, and literary arts in a largely outdoor format designed to represent and engage all elements and cultures of the area.

Help Wanted!

Volunteer at Artspire 2023

Do you enjoy the value of being a part of the arts community, have a creative mindset and enjoy working with others? We have an opportunity for you! We are looking for Artspire chairs, co-chairs and coordinators to join our committees to volunteer their time for the arts.

Artspire is a free outdoor community arts celebration produced by the Pump House Regional Arts Center on Saturday, June 10, 2023. There are many aspects that need to be organized to put this event together each year.

Contact Allison at [email protected] to inquire and for more information.

*Please Note: The Signup.com link for day-of volunteer positions will be available soon!

More Details

10 for 10 Fundraiser

Join us in celebrating 10 Years of Artspire! 

2023 marks the 10th Anniversary of Artspire La Crosse. Artspire began in 2014 and has continued to be an all-inclusive, free community art event that attracts, engages and connects our diverse community through meaningful arts experiences, including visual, interactive, performing, literary arts and dance.

This program is produced and funded by the Pump House Regional Arts Center and has continued to be a free event thanks to sponsors and donors like you! 

In honor and recognition of our 10th year we are holding a 10 for 10 fundraiser. We are looking for generous donations of a simple $10, or more if your able. Donations help cover costs to keep our celebration free and accessible to all. 

Help us reach our goal of $10,000! That is only 1,000 people donating $10! Donations can be made on our Facebook Fundraiser Event or on our website.

We hope to see you at Artspire 2023 on Saturday, June 10!

Intern Spotlight

Meet Molly!

Hi, My Name is Molly! I attend the University of Wisconsin La-Crosse for Art and Psychology. My internship role at the Pump House is for arts administration. I’m looking forward to gaining more experience and being more involved within the La Crosse art community as well as connecting with other art-minded people! My personal hobbies include hiking, photography, knitting, baking, and reading. Some art mediums I enjoy are printmaking (specifically lithography) and oil painting. I’ve also been dabbling in using makeup as a painting medium in some of my recent works!

Support the Pump House

Donations • Memberships • Opportunities

Give a gift certificate to a friend or family for any Pump House event!

A gift certificate can be used to purchase:

  • Art from an exhibit
  • Film Society Membership
  • Concert Tickets
  • Theater Tickets
  • Take Home Clay Kit
  • Adult or Kids Clay Class
  • Family Clay Class 
  • Wheel Throwing Class
  • “Carry Out-Dine In” private hour in our art gallery  

Stop in, give us a call or purchase a Pump House Gift Certificate on our website!

Pump House Membership

Your membership helps provide an open door to accessible arts experiences for everyone in the community. 

We currently have over 200 members in our 2022-23 season! Pump House memberships directly support our visual arts, performing arts and art education programs as well as receiving a variety of member benefits and the joy of supporting a local community organization!

Your support will ensure this bright future continues. Please join us by supporting the Pump House this season. Be a Member at a level that is meaningful to you. We have always believed the most rewarding benefits of supporting the Pump House cannot be put in writing. Those benefits are felt in the heart.

Renew or Become a Member

Pump House Board of Directors

Robin Cosby

President

Andrew Westrich

Vice President/President Elect

Claudia Weinberger

Treasurer/Secretary

AJ Frels

Amanda Florence Garcia Goodenough

Julie Hatlem

Julie Gumz

Pump House Staff

Allison Krzych

Executive Director

McKenzie Berg

Marketing & Creative Content Designer

Olivia Bull

Arts Administrative Assistant

Colin Thelen

Facility General Operations

Brian Semb

Gallery Coordinator/Administrative Assistant

Scott Onsager

Clay Studio Manager