For nearly two decades, the Creamery Arts Center has been more than a gallery. It’s been a gathering place for creativity, friendship, and connection in the North Fork Valley. A place where kids get clay under their fingernails, where neighbors meet over art openings, where traveling artists find unexpected community, and where countless stories of “I didn’t expect this from a town this size” begin.

The Creamery has been through bright seasons and difficult ones—but through it all, one thing has stayed true: this community shows up, and art continues to flourish here because of you.

Now, we’re taking the biggest step in our history—one that will shape the next twenty years and beyond.

We are purchasing the Creamery building and securing it as a permanent home for the arts in Hotchkiss.

For almost 20 years, we’ve been fortunate to be supported by our founder and longtime champion, Linda Tullis, who has maintained this space with extraordinary generosity. Now she has offered us the chance to buy the building outright—an extraordinary opportunity at an extraordinary price.

To honor that gift, and to ensure the Creamery will remain an anchor for art and community in downtown Hotchkiss, we’ve launched the Legacy Builders Campaign.

This isn’t just about owning a building. It’s about belonging.

It’s about ensuring that there is always a place in this valley where creativity lives, neighbors gather, artists grow, and the next generation discovers what’s possible.

✨ Our Three-Year Ownership Plan

Purchasing the Creamery isn’t a single fundraising moment—it’s a three-year, community-driven investment in long-term sustainability.

Below is our full, transparent financial plan to secure the building, cover essential costs, and position the Creamery for decades of growth.

Year 1 — Secure the Future

Total: $165,000

$50,000 Down Payment to finalize the purchase
$6,000 Lease-to-Own Payment
$8,000 Property Taxes
$5,000 Upkeep & Maintenance
$96,000 Building Principal Payment

Year 1 Focus: get the keys in hand, build momentum, and stabilize the organization as we transition to ownership.

Year 2 — Stabilize & Strengthen

Total: $115,000

$6,000 Lease-to-Own Payment
$8,000 Property Taxes
$5,000 Upkeep & Maintenance
$96,000 Building Principal Payment

Year 2 Focus: strengthen operations, improve the building, and continue expanding programs for youth and adults.

Year 3 — Complete the Purchase

Total: $115,000

$6,000 Lease-to-Own Payment
$8,000 Property Taxes
$5,000 Upkeep & Maintenance
$96,000 Building Principal Payment

Year 3 Focus: complete the purchase, build reserves for future repairs, and invest in long-term improvements.

Why This Matters

When you give to Legacy Builders, you are helping to:

Protect a beloved community arts center
Safeguard an historic building on Bridge Street
Support a place that has nurtured generations of artists
Fuel exhibitions, classes, workshops, and youth programming
Build long-term stability for arts and culture in the North Fork Valley

You become part of the story that keeps the lights on, the doors open, and the art flowing.

You help write the next chapter of “What the Creamery Means to Me.” And quite frankly—we can't do it without your support.

Join Us as a Legacy Builder

Your support—whether $5 or $50,000—moves us closer to owning our home and ensuring the Creamery remains a vibrant creative hub for decades to come.

Together, we can secure this space, strengthen our community, and create a foundation that will support artists, makers, students, and neighbors long into the future.

Thank you for helping us build a legacy.

The Creamery Arts Center is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. All donations are tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law.

Legacy Builders: Secure the Creamery Building

What the Creamery Means to Me