Greater New Braunfels Arts Council

HISTORY – In 1979, interest in establishing a local arts council was promoted by Candy Lapaglia and Barbara Way, both involved and supportive of the arts in our community. In 1980 Elizabeth Elliott called together the small group of persons from different arts and cultural organizations to form an arts council. Present were Candy Lapaglia, Barbara Way, Edward Dedeke, Betty Stratemann, Stephany Goodbread and Elizabeth Elliott. At that meeting, it was decided that if the community were to have an arts council, the members of the arts community should design, implement, and control its destiny. Edward Dedeke drafted the Articles of Confederation, and the six persons named above became the Greater New Braunfels Arts Council’s initial board of directors. The Articles were notarized May 9, 1980. On May 19, 1980, Elizabeth Elliott delivered the Articles to the State capitol, and the State Charter was received on the same day. THE STRUCTURE – The Council was designed to be an umbrella organization, a coalition of local arts and cultural organizations, each one to be represented on the board by a single representative. Additionally there may be as many as five directors at-large, elected from the general membership. THE PURPOSE – The initial purpose was to encourage and develop local arts organizations and to unite the coalition’s efforts for strong political influence in assuring a healthy arts environment. That purpose remains the same today.