Making Lots of Progress
What a great momentum-filled week!
We’re thrilled to share that we interviewed three architecture firms, each bringing strong ideas and thoughtful insight. We’re excited by what we heard and can’t wait to get started on the next phase.
We’ve also cast our upcoming production of Love Letters. Because it’s such an intimate show, we’re doing something special—four performances with four different actresses playing Melissa.
✨ Mr. Lindsey Lee will appear in every performance as Andy, with Melissa played by Fluffy Cash, Amy Best, Barbara French, Ann Reynolds, one per night.
And the fun continues tomorrow night with Valentine’s Schmalentine’s in the art gallery—paint & sip, games, laughs, and a great excuse to gather whether you’re single, coupled, or just in it for the art.
From planning and rebuilding to performances and parties, there’s a lot happening right now—and it’s energizing to see it all coming together.
Thank you for being part of this journey with us 💛
A Busy and Creative Season at HCAF
As recovery and rebuilding continue behind the scenes, the day-to-day life of HCAF remains active, creative, and forward-looking.
We’ve reached an important milestone in the rebuild process by narrowing our field of architects. Interviews will take place next week, and we’re eager to hear how each finalist envisions the future of our campus. This phase marks a shift from assessment to imagination—and that’s an encouraging place to be.
Inside the art gallery, creativity is thriving. Our current Members’ Show highlights the depth and range of work being made by artists in our community, and our visual arts class offerings continue to expand. From new techniques to new instructors, the class schedule is always growing and evolving.
The weeks ahead are full:
Valentine’s Schmalentine’s on February 14 brings paint-and-sip, games, and a relaxed, welcoming evening for singles and couples alike.
Our Visual Arts Fundraiser on March 22 supports the programs that keep this campus active and accessible.
Theatre returns to the gallery with Love Letters, running March 26–29, reminding us once again that meaningful performance doesn’t require a traditional stage—just committed artists and an engaged audience.
Even amid long-term planning and recovery work, HCAF remains a place where art is being made, shared, and celebrated. We’re grateful for the momentum, the community, and the many ways creativity continues to show up.
Flood Recovery Update: Progress, Even When It’s a Lot
Recovery rarely happens all at once. More often, it happens through dozens of conversations, meetings, applications, and decisions—many of which aren’t visible from the outside. Still, real progress is being made.
We are currently very close to selecting an architect for our campus rebuild, and we’re eager to begin seeing how their vision will shape the future of HCAF. This is an exciting step forward, even as it comes alongside continued work with FEMA and the pursuit of additional grants to support what will be a significant and complex rebuild.
While the physical spaces are still in transition, the work of making art continues. Auditions will be held on February 2 for a small theatrical production in the art gallery. We’re reminded daily how fortunate we are to continue creating theatre—even when it’s not happening in a traditional theatre space.
We are also grateful that our ceramics artists were able to relocate into a temporary studio, allowing their work to continue during this period of recovery and rebuilding.
There are many moving parts right now. The process is demanding, and at times overwhelming—but it is moving forward. Progress is happening, even when it feels like a lot.
We’ll continue to share updates here on the blog and on social media so you can follow along as plans take shape and work continues. Thank you for staying with us as we rebuild, reimagine, and move ahead—one step at a time.
Reflecting on 2025
It All Begins Here
Theatre Program Report
This year’s theatre season tells a clear story of creativity, momentum, and adaptability.
We began in February with Dear Jack, Dear Louise, followed by Love, Loss, and What I Wore. We were proud to produce Hookwinked by local playwright David Remschel, continuing our commitment to original work and local voices. Later in the season, Treston Woods directed a phenomenal production of The Play That Goes Wrong, which was a standout for both audiences and performers.
Rehearsals for Jimmy Buffett’s Escape to Margaritaville continued through tech week, when the flood abruptly changed our plans. Instead of allowing the work to end unfinished, the cast and creative team found a way to share it. On what would have been closing night, Margaritaville was performed in the parking lot for approximately 400 people—an extraordinary moment of theatre and community.
That spirit continued through the summer. In August, we staged Shipwrecked at Stonehenge II, embracing a nontraditional venue and proving that theatre is not confined to a single space. We are also deeply grateful to Playhouse 2000 for hosting a fundraiser on our behalf and welcoming us into their theatre for Hot Shakespeare.
What audiences experienced this year was creativity and determination onstage. What made that possible was an equally determined effort happening behind the scenes—which leads directly into the Executive Director’s report.
Executive Director’s Report
As you’ve just heard, this year required creativity and flexibility in public ways. It also required steady, deliberate work that most people never saw.
Following the flood, our focus shifted to assessment, documentation, and long-term planning. We worked closely with FEMA, insurance representatives, architects, engineers, donors, and community partners to understand the scope of damage and determine a responsible path forward. We issued an RFQ and completed multiple site walkthroughs, laying the groundwork for decisions that will shape our future for years to come.
At the same time, the organization continued to function. Art classes remained active. Exhibits continued in the gallery. Education and community engagement did not stop, even when progress wasn’t highly visible.
This was also a year that required careful financial oversight and thoughtful leadership. Adjustments were made, expectations were reset, and stability remained the priority.
I want to take a moment to express our deep gratitude to the many individuals and organizations who supported us financially during this year. We are especially thankful to Riverhill Golf Club and The Arcadia Live for hosting Guitars and Greens for the Guadalupe, and to everyone who contributed to that fundraiser. Along with countless other donors who gave generously—often quietly—your support has been essential to our recovery and to our ability to keep moving forward.
I also want to commend our staff, board members, and the countless volunteers who showed up when we needed them most. Their leadership, flexibility, and willingness to step in wherever needed made forward movement possible during an incredibly difficult year.
As we look ahead, we do so with clearer information, stronger partnerships, and a plan rooted in both realism and optimism. The work ahead is significant—but so is the foundation that has already been laid.