Welcome To The Bowlus!

      We invite you to join the thousands of people who celebrate the Fine Arts by attending events in the Bowlus Center each year. We live the dream of Thomas H. Bowlus who left his gift to provide this beautiful facility where cultural enrichment, education and entertainment have thrived in our community for generations past, present, and for those in years to come.
      Take a moment to discover the wonderful performances that await you in the 2006 – 2007 Bowlus Season. There truly is something for everyone, a feast for the soul. The Bowlus Cultural Attraction Series provides the finest in Art, Dance, Drama & Music celebrating the best of the American Fine Arts; The Bowlus Arts in Education Series events provide professional performers in educational settings for area youth; The Bowlus Speaker Series challenges us to learn and think about interesting topics and people; The Dale P. Creitz Recital Hall Series opens our minds to the finest in music from classical to jazz; The Mary L. Martin Gallery hosts exhibitions of interesting and wonderful works of visual art.
      The mission of the Bowlus Center is contained in the will of Thomas H. Bowlus dated September 19, 1960. Said mission states: "I have always been dedicated to the proposition that the best tool with which to equip our youth to confront the future is an education, and that such education should include an appreciation of things artistic, musical and cultural as well as things academic and scientific. It is to that end and for such purposes that I dedicate the afore-described premises." The will further states, "it being my declared intention that such structure shall be one of which our citizens, but particularly our youth, may be proud and that such structure and accommodations serve efficiently and effectively the intended purpose of furthering the education of our youth and of makng available to the citizens of the area cultural facilities, programs, and entertainments perhaps not otherwise available."
      The Thomas H. Bowlus Fine Arts Cultural Center Trust is a testamentary charitable trust and the beneficiaries of said trust are the students enrolled in USD 257 and the citizens of the area. The Board of Education of USD 257 is the Testamentary Trustee of the Bowlus Trust.
The Trustees:

The Thomas H. Bowlus Fine Arts Cultural Center Trust is registered as a nonprofit 501 (c) 3, and is registered with the state as the Local Arts Agency for Allen County.