A little bit of history:

In 1965, a small group of art lovers began meeting to discuss ways to grow and deepen the appreciation of the arts in Alaska. The Alaska Association for the Arts (AAA) was established a year later and was originally chaired by Geneva Emmal and featured well-known Fairbanksans such as Jo Scott, the founder of the Fairbanks Summer Arts Festival. As the only arts association in the state, the AAA board was the driving force behind the establishment of the Alaska State Council on the Arts and the construction of the Alaskaland Civic Center (now known as Pioneer Park’s Alaska Centennial Center for the Arts). With the successful establishment of a state arts council, Alaska Association for the Arts was able to focus its efforts on the Interior and became Fairbanks Arts Association in 1983.

Over the last 50 years, Fairbanks Arts Association has opened cultural doors in Fairbanks and the Interior through its sponsorship and organization of both local and touring theatrical, musical and dance performances (including the first operas and ballets in the area), arts classes, arts exhibitions and varied educational outreach programs. Fairbanks Arts plays a central leadership role in the arts community, providing opportunities and resources for artists and organizations, and enhancing lives by offering quality, accessible arts experiences that work toward the collective cultural and artistic strength of Interior Alaska.