Mission:
To create, support, and celebrate the arts in the wider Otsego Community
To create, support, and celebrate the arts in the wider Otsego Community
Description:
The Otsego Arts Council is a division of Together Otsego Prospers, a 501c3 organization.
Together Otsego Prospers:
As self-described on the Together Otsego Prospers website, "TOP is a not-for-profit organization and coalition of residents with a passion for community service. We are united by a desire to see Otsego reach its full potential as a community where you work, play, and stay?" The TOP mission is: "to bring joy, prosperity, and beauty to our community through volunteer-led events and development projects." Under the main organization, three subcommittees include the Otsego Arts Council, the Otsego Hometown Christmas Committee, and Gus Macker. The Otsego Arts Council is financially accountable to TOP and must submit major decisions for TOP approval, but otherwise functions mostly autonomously. Participation in TOP is not required to volunteer with the Otsego Arts Council.
Otsego Arts Council 2025
Annual Events:
Otsego Arts Competition (formerly Art Thing!) and Otsego Artisan Market
Ongoing projects/responsibilities: Otsego Art Garden, Riverwalk murals, Ice rink windbreak panels, sponsored Christmas card panels, Summer Fun rock painting night
Future goals:
Potential fundraising for scholarships to send students to fine arts camp or school
Current members
Sandy Foster (TOP)
Carmen Moore
Renae Baumgart
Lori Lapekes
Vince Ofeno
Elizabeth Vander Ven (Secretary)
Taylor Hatten (TOP, Media and Marketing)
Stacey Withee (Treasurer, TOP)
Babette Burleigh
Kris Spitzner, on sabbatical
Sandy Foster (TOP)
Carmen Moore
Renae Baumgart
Lori Lapekes
Vince Ofeno
Elizabeth Vander Ven (Secretary)
Taylor Hatten (TOP, Media and Marketing)
Stacey Withee (Treasurer, TOP)
Babette Burleigh
Kris Spitzner, on sabbatical
2024-2025 Recap
- Otsego Arts was renamed Otsego Arts Council and rebranded with current logo
- T-shirts with the new logo were ordered and distributed
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The Otsego Arts Council's 2025 sponsors are:
- First National Bank of Michigan
- Steensma Lawn and Power Equipment
- Moore Theaters
- Native Connections
- Stacey Withee
- The Lynx
- Parker Hannifin FSC
- TKH Group
- Otsego Barber Shop
- Harding's
- Mezzo Coffee House
- The Bellflower
- River Road Foods
- SKP Design
- Mark and Theresa DeLavern with Berkshire Hathaway
- Babette Burleigh
- Sandy Foster
- Elizabeth Abbott
- Taylor Hatten, and Sondra Phillips worked together on soliciting sponsors
- The Art Garden planting and spring cleanup was done on May 22nd, 2025 by members of the Arts Council.
- The Otsego Arts Council successfully hosted our 4th Art Competition May 3rd-10th, 2025 at the Otsego District Public Library, changing the name to Otsego Arts Competition from the "Art Thing!". The event featured twenty-four entries this year, including eleven junior division entries. Prizes were awarded as follows: People's choice adult division first prize, juried adult division first, second, and third prizes, and people's choice junior division first and second prize. Carmen Moore served as chairperson with Sandy Foster chairing the reception committee.
- Members of the Otsego Arts Council walked in the Memorial Day parade to distribute fliers for the Artisan Market.
- The Otsego Arts Council successfully hosted the 4th Annual Artisan Market on June 21, 2025 at the TOP riverfront pavilion downtown Otsego. This year, the market included twenty-nine artists and customer traffic was fairly steady, despite it being a very hot day.
Babette Burleigh served as chairperson. Previously, Kris Spitzner had chaired this event.
- The Otsego Arts Council hosted rock painting at the July 15th, 2025 Summer Fun Night at the TOP Pavilion. Ninety-two children were present and rock painting was enjoyed by most of them and a few parents/guardians.
- The next planned event is a painting day on August 16, 2025 to work on winter panels for the TOP pavilion ice rink windbreak and sponsored Christmas card panels
History:
The Otsego Arts Council emerged as Otsego Arts under the guidance of Paulette and Tim Carr as a part of the Mainstreet Grant Program, which was headed by Kahler Sweeney. Former Otsego Mayor Cindy Trobek was instrumental in launching the Art Thing and other initiatives with Mainstreet. Together Otsego Prospers was birthed to bridge the gap as Mainstreet and the Downtown Development Authority phased out. Paulette and Tim Carr stepped down from OAC leadership in the fall of 2023 to focus on other artistic endeavors, passing the baton to Sondra Phillips. Sondra stepped down from OAC leadership after the Otsego Arts Competition 2025 to focus on her business transition and other responsibilities.
