The APACC is currently in the process of the dissolution of its 501c3

ATASCADERO — At its annual meeting on Monday, Jan. 23, at the Atascadero Chamber of Commerce, it was formally announced that the Atascadero Performing Arts Center Committee (APACC) would be starting the dissolution of its 501c3. The committee also announced its merger with The Atascadero Printery Foundation to promote their shared dream of creating a public performing arts center in Atascadero for the surrounding area. APACC has been striving to create a performing arts center in Atascadero for the last 22 years.

“In a small community like Atascadero, we’re all really fundraising from the same well, and it’s confusing to people in the community about which group actually is moving forward and which group has the best chance of attracting grants and basically being a greater presence in the community,” stated Vice President of APACC Kathy Hannemann. “And as a group, our board of directors felt that APACC had less of a community presence than the Atascadero Printery Foundation. Having a physical place for us to begin to plan this process of having a performing arts center is critical.” 

The APACC has been looking for land or real estate for a public performing arts center since approximately 2012. But there have been a lot of roadblocks for the APACC over the years, including the recession, COVID-19, and looking for, but not finding, an existing building for a temporary performing arts facility.

“We put our heads together between our two nonprofits and looked at who has the momentum to keep this ball rolling, and we felt it was the Printery Foundation,” added Hannemann.

APACC has started the process of dissolving its 501c3 and will merge into The Atascadero Printery Foundation as a committee for the performing arts after all the proper channels have approved the paperwork. Those channels include the state attorney general, the Registry of Charitable Trusts, and the secretary of state. The process could take anywhere from three to six months.

“They are eager to have the help,” Hannemann said of the Printery Foundation. “And we’re eager to do the meaningful work that needs to be done to prepare for a performing arts center.”

She also stated that APACC is excited to start working with the public so both parties can determine what the public wants their performing arts center to be. Both The Atascadero Printery Foundation and the APACC share the goal of bringing founder E.G. Lewis’s dream to life of having Atascadero be a thriving artist community. 

“We believe that this is a very big step toward that dream, as well as our dream. A place where all of the talent in this very creative and talented community can go together and have a place to perform,” continued Hannemann.

At the annual APACC meeting, the Atascadero Printery Foundation was also presented with a check for $1,000. The money was raised at last year’s wine festival for the nonprofit. Atascadero Chamber of Commerce President Josh Cross asked the community to match the donation on Giving Tuesday, when the community ended up raising an extra $2,400 for The Printery, for a total of $3,400. 

“APACC, we’re so excited to have you with us,” said Atascadero Printery Foundation president Karen McNamara at the meeting. “You guys have so many different talents and connections and things, and you have that experience of trying to do this for quite some time, and that will definitely help us.” 

The Atascadero Printery Foundation will continue fundraising as they get closer to being able to remove the red tag from the historic Printery building.