The Hub Arts and Cultural Center will move from downtown Rushville to a building near U.S. Route 67 on the city’s northwest side.
The organization has acquired the former Triplett and Wood Funeral Home, 900 W. Wilson St.
“It’s a very good location with plenty of parking. We’re on three acres,” said Erin Eveland, Executive Director of The Hub.
She said the building and parking lot take up much of the land, but there will be green space for gardens and outdoor activities. The building is larger than The Hub’s current home, which will provide more space for programs.
The arts center will spend the next few months renovating the building with the hope of moving in sometime this fall.
“I joke around that we are currently de-funeral homing it, but that’s essentially what we’re doing,” Eveland said.
She said they’re putting in a different flooring, changing the paint color to reflect The Hub’s branding, and converting the garage into three studio spaces — a ceramics studio, a youth studio, and multi-purpose studio.
‘A deal on the building’
Eveland said Worthington Funeral Home acquired the building after Triplett entered into bankruptcy. She said Worthington has been a longtime supporter of the arts center.
“They gave us a deal on the building. They really helped us out with a good price for it,” Eveland said. “We were really, really lucky to have them as a partner through this whole thing.
She declined to share the purchase price.
She said The Hub conducted a fundraising campaign to help pay for the new building, remodeling it, and moving, and also received a donation from the community’s anonymous donor.
“We’re really grateful to the Worthingtons for thinking of us and for helping us make it possible, and also we’re really grateful to the anonymous donor and to the community for standing behind us and always supporting us,” Eveland said.
She said The Hub has a potential buyer for its current space at 210 N. Congress St.
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