The White Bear Center for the Arts (WBCA) was originally formed in 1968 as the White Bear Arts Council by a group of area residents who shared a passion for the arts and wanted to see them fostered in their community. In May of 1996, upon acquiring some space in the local Armory, the organization and its members officially changed its name to White Bear Center for the Arts.
WBCA strongly believes the concepts experienced in the study and making of art heighten broad thinking skills such as imagination, innovation, experimentation, and problem-solving. White Bear Center for the Arts offers more than 240 different art classes each year at our facility in downtown White Bear and at Tamarack Nature Center, as well as after-school art enrichment classes in several districts during the school year. More than 200 high school students participate each year in WriteNow! our annual high school writing contest (short stories, essays, poetry, and one-act plays). Our many family events include an annual sandcastle/creature building contest now serving its third generation of participants!
Through art classes, outreach, and our many community events we achieve our mission to help build a culturally rich community in the White Bear Area by insuring and maintaining the accessibility of art education and opportunities on a local level. We provide an open and welcoming community, striving to reach any individual or group who wishes to experience the arts through service, participation, or creative development.
