Artisans at the Dahmen Barn, Uniontown’s barn-turned-regional arts center, is fundraising thousands of dollars for repairs to the near-century-old building.
The cupola of the barn’s silo needs to be completely rebuilt, curator-manager Julie Hartwig said. Otherwise, when the wind blows “just right,” rain and snow fall onto the gallery on the second floor. The barn’s north and west sides and an attached milk house also need a repaint and some repairs.
In total, the repairs will cost the barn $17,650.
“All the barns that fall over, it’s due to wind, rain and weather … because people can’t afford to fix them up or they don’t use them anymore,” Hartwig said. “So they don’t put their money into their barns, and then they just deteriorate.”
The barn aims to raise at least $13,000 to fund paint, which Hartwig said has doubled in price since the pandemic; labor; and a lift required to repair the barn’s sides, elevator shaft and silo. Rebuilding the cupola alone costs an additional $4,650.
“It’s going to cause bigger problems if we don’t get it done,” Hartwig said.
Originally built in 1935, the barn was reopened as an arts center in 2006. According to the barn’s website, it now features not just the gallery, but several studios, classroom spaces and a retail store.
Resident artist Alison Oman teaches art classes at the barn and has rented one of its studios for the last 13 years.
She said Uniontown is host to only a few stores and a winery. For the city of less than 400, Artisans at the Dahmen Barn is the sole space for events like concerts, poetry readings and “constantly changing” art exhibitions. Some of the artists the barn works with are alumni of WSU and University of Idaho.
“The community needs this barn, I swear,” Oman said. “We bring people in from all over.”
The barn held two fundraising events: the Plein Air Paint Out from Sept. 9–14 and Plein Air Painters at the Barn on Sept. 14.
The latter involved silent and dollar auctions for paintings from the Plein Air Paint Out and other donations from community members, Hartwig said. More than 50, including Oman, attended the event and raised over $4,000.
Since it received about $4,000 in donations before the events, the barn is now more than halfway to its goal. Hartwig said she thinks the barn will meet it with continued support from the community.
“You just wanna preserve it so it doesn’t fall down,” Hartwig said.
To donate to the Paint the Barn Fundraiser, email [email protected].
