The founding of McPherson Arts Council was made possible by the creation of the National Endowment for the Arts in 1965, which provided matching funding for the creation of the Kansas Cultural Arts Commission in 1966, renamed Kansas Arts Commission in 1973, by the Kansas legislature.

On February 26, 1973, at a public meeting organized by Jean Stockham, the McPherson community decided to form the McPherson Arts Council to fill the arts void in our community. The organizational meeting of the board of directors was held May 14, 1973. The McPherson Arts Council was incorporated September 5, 1973, as non-profit organization, and granted 501(c)(3) status by IRS. Jean Stockham was elected President and Executive Director, and served about a year.

Following the unfortunate and untimely death of Jean Stockham, Don Steffes, President of McPherson Citizens State Bank (Now Bank of America McPherson Branch), stepped in. In an informal brain-storming session with Mike Mills, Don developed the primary mission of MAC to be a “United Fund,” to support the arts affiliates. Jane Steffes, Don’s wife agreed to serve as the Executive Director, and continued in that position for eight (8) years.

During the next decade, the Directors and affiliates met monthly, with MAC raising funds locally and obtaining matching grants for affiliates as “a facilitating and enlarging entity for the Arts in the Community.”(Kay Kline, “Early History”) In 1978, MAC was one of forty (40) communities that conducted a united fund drive for the arts, and was 12th in per capita giving. In communities in the United States under 100,000, McPherson ranked third. MAC began the “Encore” series of MAC sponsored events in addition to funding affiliate events.

In 1981, MAC selected the McPherson Opera House to be the facility for the arts. MAC formed a “Feasibility Study Committee,” obtained a feasibility grant from the National Trust for Historic Preservation, selected historic preservation architects, and developed plans for restoration and use by MAC. By 1985, MAC determined that it could not both carry on its main purpose of providing funding for the affiliates and restore the Opera House, and approved the idea of a separate organization to be formed to pursue restoration. Some of the MAC “Feasibility Study Committee” and other interested persons formed the McPherson Opera House Preservation Company, which was officially incorporated as a Kansas non-profit company on January 21, 1986.

Jane Steffes retired from Executive Director of MAC on July, 8, 1982, after years of dedicated service to presidents Don Steffes, Kay Kline, Dick Nichols, and Sadie Miller. In the 1982-3 year, Debbie Eichbush and Donna Ward served Mike Mills, as President. In 1983, MAC hired Wayne Conyers as Executive Director beginning in August to facilitate his move as part time art instructor at McPherson College. The September, 1983, fund drive totaled nearly $13,500 and MAC also received the continuing growth of the united fund for the arts, which financially supported around 20 affiliates.

An example of how MAC provided administrative, promotional, and financial support of the arts is that of the children’s choir. In the early 1980's, Sharon Willis, vocal music teacher at McPherson Middle School, had organized a Community Children’s Choir to provide an opportunity for more vocal music education and training for her students. She had proposed that USD 418 sponsor a children’s choir as an extra curricular activity. That request was denied. Sharon presented her idea to MAC in early 1983. MAC immediately agreed to act as sponsor under its corporate charter, and its 501(c)(3) designation. MAC also provided its assistance in obtaining special grants from the Kansas Arts Commission for choir activities. Sharon voluntarily renamed the Community Children’s Choir to McPherson Arts Council Children’s Choir, the only affiliate to incorporate McPherson Arts Council in its name.

Kay Kline authored a “History Highlights of McPherson Arts Council” that chronicles not only the growth and development of the affiliates supported by MAC from 1973 to 1989, but also the central role of MAC in the encouragement and collaborative efforts in working with the affiliates in addition to providing funding, and later administrative and promotional assistance.

Compiled and written by Mike Mills.