Begin your artistic journey right here in the Hill Country.
Texas Watercolor Society’s
77th Annual National Exhibit
May 2 - June 28
Reception May 2, 2 - 4pm
Calendar of Events
HILL COUNTRY ARTS FOUNDATION ANNOUNCES RECOVERY & REBUILD PROGRESS
FOLLOWING JULY 2025 FLOOD
Coalition of Community Leaders, Donors, and Strategic Partners Unites to Restore and Strengthen One of Texas Hill Country’s Premier Cultural Institutions
INGRAM, Texas – June 16, 2026 – The Hill Country Arts Foundation (HCAF) is pleased to
announce significant progress in its ongoing recovery and rebuilding efforts following the
devastating July 2025 flood that caused substantial damage to its Ingram, Texas campus.
Despite the challenges of the past year, HCAF has maintained continuous operations,
advanced key strategic partnerships, and positioned the organization for an ambitious and
enduring future in arts education, performance, and community engagement.
The floodwaters that swept through the Guadalupe River corridor damaged theaters,
studios, offices, technical equipment, and decades of accumulated resources, leaving
millions of dollars in destruction across one of Texas’ most beloved cultural institutions.
Yet the spirit of the HCAF endured. Through the determination of staff, volunteers, artists,
donors, and community members, programs continued, performances found new stages,
and the mission of bringing art to the Texas Hill Country never ceased.
The Hill Country Arts Foundation’s recovery is being driven by a broad and dedicated
coalition - including volunteer board members, community leaders, regional advisors,
consultants, donors, and strategic partners - whose collective commitment has ensured
that foundation’s mission endures as a cultural landmark in Kerr County. Partners
including the Community Foundation of the Texas Hill Country, Tres Grace Family
Foundation, and Kerr Together Long-Term Recovery Group have been instrumental in this
effort, alongside many other area funding sources and collaborators. Physical
reconstruction of core campus facilities - including restoration of the beloved 15+ acre
Ingram campus and the iconic Point Theater - is progressing on schedule, with critical
milestones reached in the first half of 2026. These milestones include a comprehensive
plan for restoring and expanding performance spaces and instructional studios, while also
including new concepts for accommodating and expanding adult and youth programming.
Community partnerships and innovative programming have demonstrated throughout this
past year that the arts are not confined to buildings - they live in the people who create,
share, and experience them.
“This recovery belongs to our entire community,” said Paula Bishir-Jensen, Board
President of the Hill Country Arts Foundation. “What we have witnessed over the past
eleven months is nothing short of extraordinary. Our board, our donors, our neighbors, and
our partners have come together with remarkable resolve. We are not simply rebuilding
what was lost – we are building something stronger, more resilient, and more capable of
serving and promoting the arts in this region for generations to come.”
“While much of HCAF’s work over the past year has taken place behind the scenes,
significant progress has been made to position the organization for its next chapter.” said
Crystn Hendrickson, Capital Campaign Co-Chair and Treasurer of the Hill Country Arts
Foundation. “Over the past year, the Hill Country Arts Foundation has strengthened its
advisory network, cultivated new programming partnerships, and developed a
comprehensive long-range plan for both its facilities and future operations. We look
forward to sharing more with the public later this year. Together, these efforts reflect
HCAF’s commitment to honoring its sixty-seven-year legacy while building a strong and
sustainable future for the arts in the Texas Hill Country.”
Donor support is instrumental throughout this process. Contributions of every scale - from
major capital gifts to grassroots community fundraising - have provided both the financial
foundation and the moral momentum necessary to sustain progress through a challenging
recovery period. The Hill Country Arts Foundation extends its profound gratitude to every
individual and organization that has invested in HCAF’s continued vitality.
“As the Foundation looks to the next 50 years, we are gathering exciting new concepts on
building a campus to meet the future needs of our community. While the damage we have
sustained is difficult to experience, we remain focused and energized about the
possibilities to create an even better campus, with strong programming to match,” said
Sarah Tacey, Executive Director at the HCAF. “This is a generational opportunity. We are
excited to be working hand in hand with Lake Flato (San Antonio) to honor the heritage of
this organization as we double our efforts to welcome new experiences and participants.
The future is bright on this stretch of the Guadalupe.”
The story of the Hill Country Arts Foundation is ultimately the story of a community that
refused to surrender its cultural heart. The floods tested the institution in ways few could
have imagined, but they also revealed the depth of public support for the arts in the Texas
Hill Country. As remediation progresses into eventual reconstruction, HCAF remains
committed to restoring its treasured campus while embracing opportunities to emerge
stronger, more accessible, and more resilient than ever. Looking ahead, the Hill Country
Arts Foundation envisions a future where theater, visual arts, education, and community
gatherings once again flourish along the banks of the Guadalupe River - a future built upon
enhanced, multi-disciplinary arts programming within state-of-the-art facilities that honor
both heritage and a deep sense of place.
The Foundation will be releasing a series of stakeholder spotlights in the coming months,
sharing the stories of the diverse individuals and organizations whose dedication is making
this recovery possible. Alongside these stories will be a recognition of the many devoted
individuals that have come before us, and how their mark on arts in the Hill Country will
endure through our efforts. These narratives will illuminate the depth and breadth of
HCAF’s community and paints a vivid picture of what it means when an entire region rallies
around its cultural heart.
To support HCAF’s rebuild and ongoing programming, visit https://www.hcaf.com/support-
hcaf-and-donate or contact Executive Director Sarah Tacey directly at sarah@hcaf.com or
(830) 377-7006. Media inquiries, partnership interest, and donation questions are warmly
welcomed.
The Hill Country Arts Foundation is a nonprofit arts organization dedicated to enriching
lives through visual arts, performing arts, and arts education. Founded in 1959, HCAF
serves the Texas Hill County from its campus in Ingram, TX.
Big Ideas,
Real Impact.
Community Foundation of the Texas Hill Country,
Tres Grace Foundation provide $260,000 in funding to Hill Country Arts Foundation riverside campus redesign.
Investment supports Lake Flato Architects engagement to reimagine its campus following July 4 floods.
The Hill Country Arts Foundation announced it received a combined investment of $260,000 from the Community Foundation of the Texas Hill Country and Tres Grace Foundation to engage Lake Flato Architects for a comprehensive redesign of its riverside campus.
The July 4 floods caused significant damage to the campus, impacting performance venues, visual arts spaces and critical infrastructure. The investment marks a major step forward in the organization’s long-term recovery and rebuilding efforts.
“We are incredibly grateful—this is the kind of generosity that changes everything,” said Sarah Tacey, executive director of the Hill Country Arts Foundation. “The Community Foundation of the Texas Hill Country and the Tres Grace Foundation didn’t just support a project—they unlocked it. Because of them, we are able to engage a firm of Lake Flato’s caliber—and an entire team of experts—to begin imagining a future that is stronger, more resilient, and more connected to the community we serve.”
The total investment includes a $130,000 grant from the Community Foundation of the Texas Hill Country and $130,000 from Tres Grace Foundation. The funding also supports a multidisciplinary team that will include landscape architects, flood mitigation specialists, engineers and theater design professionals.
“This investment reflects a long-term commitment to the cultural and economic recovery of the Hill Country,” said Austin Dickson, CEO of the Community Foundation of the Texas Hill Country. “The Hill Country Arts Foundation is a cornerstone of this community. Supporting its recovery means restoring not just a physical space, but a place where people gather, create and heal. We are proud to partner in helping reimagine a campus that will serve the region for generations.”
“Restoring a vital community asset while building for the future is exactly what this investment will do,” Hugh Dobson, executive director of Tres Grace Foundation, said. “We believe in the power of the arts to bring people together, especially in moments of recovery. This investment ensures the Hill Country Arts Foundation can come back stronger, more resilient and more accessible to the community it serves.”
Lake Flato Architects, known for environmentally responsive and community-centered design, will lead the campus reimagining process with a focus on long-term resilience and community impact.
“The Hill Country Arts Foundation’s determination to rebuild stronger and better, by reimagining its campus as an even greater home for the arts, aligns closely with Lake Flato’s mission to design meaningful places that bring communities together,” Gus Starkey, associate at Lake Flato Architects, said. “My connection is deeply personal. Having grown up in this community, I was fortunate to experience performances at the Point Theater—unforgettable evenings beneath the stars of a Hill Country night sky. Those memories continue to inspire my commitment to help shape a new chapter for this special place.”
The Hill Country Arts Foundation has continued to offer programming where possible, reinforcing its role as a hub for connection, expression and renewal during recovery.
With support from its funding partners and the broader community, the organization will move forward with a renewed vision to restore and strengthen its campus as a destination for arts, education and community engagement.
ABOUT HILL COUNTRY ARTS FOUNDATION: The Hill Country Arts Foundation (HCAF), located in Ingram, has been a cornerstone of arts and culture in the Texas Hill Country since 1955. Dedicated to enriching the community through visual and performing arts, HCAF provides year-round programming that includes exhibitions, theatrical productions, concerts, and arts education for all ages.
Set along the banks of the Guadalupe River, HCAF’s campus serves as a creative hub where artists, students, and audiences come together to experience and celebrate the arts. Through classes, workshops, and its popular summer youth programs, HCAF fosters creativity, builds confidence, and provides meaningful access to the arts for residents and visitors alike.
Committed to both tradition and innovation, HCAF continues to expand its impact by supporting artists, engaging the community, and cultivating the next generation of creative talent in the region. For more information, please visit hcaf.com.
ABOUT TRES GRACE FOUNDATION : Since its inception, The Tres Grace Family Foundation has been instrumental in providing grants and donations to vital programs for the most vulnerable, including after-school and summer programs for children, establishing safe shelters for the unhoused population, and supporting Texas food banks. For more information, visit www.tresgraceff.org
About Lake Flato:
Lake Flato crafts environments that enrich communities and nurture life. As architects, interior designers, sustainability leaders, and urban designers, Lake Flato creates designs that are rooted in place and responsive to local conditions and traditions. Equal parts pragmatic and poetic, Lake Flato’s work complements the diversity of our landscapes and the richness of our daily lives. Recognized as pioneers in sustainable design, the firm has received the Global Award for Sustainable Architecture and garnered 16 American Institute of Architects (AIA) Committee on the Environment Awards, more than any other firm. Twenty years after receiving the AIA’s Firm of the Year Award, founders David Lake and Ted Flato were honored with the 2024 Gold Medal, the AIA's highest honor. For more information, visit: www.lakeflato.com.
ABOUT COMMUNITY FOUNDATION OF THE TEXAS HILL COUNTRY
The Community Foundation of the Texas Hill Country is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to enhancing the quality of life across the Hill Country region by connecting charitable donors with community needs. Based in Kerrville and serving 10 counties, the foundation manages a diverse portfolio of funds and grants that support local nonprofits, scholarships and community initiatives. Since its founding in 1982, the foundation has worked to strengthen communities, inspire generosity and create lasting positive impact for current and future generations. For more information, visit www.communityfoundation.net.
