On December 30, 1920, a group of more than 60 Wichita community leaders met at the Lassen Hotel, where they officially adopted the name Wichita Art Association and approved the first mission statement.

This piece was featured in the first exhibition organized by the Wichita Art Association, titled Paintings by John Noble. It would become the inaugural piece of the Study Collection.

Volunteer instructors including Ed Davison, C.A. Seward, Bob Aitchison, and Elizabeth Sprague began teaching art classes, first in the Lassen Hotel, then in the basement of the public library. As interest in classes continued to grow, the organization began renting a dedicated school space in the Butts building at First and Broadway in 1926. In 1928, Clarence Hotvedt took charge of the school and became the first paid instructor.

Dickerson would lead the school for more than 30 years along with his wife, Betty. Bill and Betty married in 1932 in secret, as married women were not permitted to work as teachers. The Dickersons played a pivotal role in establishing the Wichita Art Association as a premier art school in the region and helped shape countless emerging artists, including students David Salle, James Gross, Dick Mason, Tom Otterness, Patrick Rowley, and Oscar Larmer.

Nationally renowned sculptor Bruce Moore offered the first sculpture class at the Wichita Art Association in 1932, and continued teaching through 1934. Moore was born in Bern, Kansas, and studied at the Kansas City Art Institute and throughout Europe before returning to Wichita.

Upon her death, architect and philanthropist Louise Caldwell Murdock bequeathed funds to the city of Wichita to purchase an art collection with the aim of establishing an art museum in Wichita. The city worked with the Wichita Art Association to make this dream a reality, and the Wichita Art Museum formally opened in 1935. Within a few years, the Wichita Art Museum and the Wichita Art Association split into two distinct organizations – one a dedicated art museum, and one an art school and gallery.

With the help of twelve generous community members, the organization purchased the property at 401 N. Belmont in 1942. The Wichita Art Association headquarters would remain there until 1965.

The sculpture has become emblematic of the organization and is currently on view outside the main entrance of Mark Arts.

As the organization continued to grow and evolve, the need for a new and expanded facility became evident. In 1965, the Wichita Art Association made the move to a new building on East Central, designed by architect Uel Ramsey on land donated by Mrs. Ralph M. Rounds. The new building featured the Beech Memorial Doors, commissioned by Bruce Moore. Throughout the 1960s, three visionary women played a pivotal role in the growth and development of the organization – Olive Ann Beech, Mary Robinson Koch, and Gladys Wiedemann.

The Young Patrons of the Arts organized the first Holiday Tables fundraiser in 1967. The fundraiser, now organized by Designing Women, is still held annually at Mark Arts and is the area’s longest-running annual fundraising event.

Both Babs and Jim were instrumental in growing the school into an established and respected program in the region. Jim still teaches classes at Mark Arts today.

James Anthony Parker donates his collection of more than 400 enamels and metals to the organization. He selects the Wichita Art Association as the caretaker of this phenomenal collection because of its strong enameling and metalsmithing educational programs. The collection features pieces by leading enamel artists of the 20^th century, including Ellamarie and Jackson Woolley.

In 1990, Wichita Center for the Arts Board Chair Virginia Mastio envisioned a women’s volunteer group who would support the organization by coordinating and mounting special fundraising events. The group, named Designing Women by then President Bill Otton, held its first regular luncheon meeting in January 1991.

As a Scholastic Art Awards affiliate organization, The Wichita Center for the Arts became part of a nation-wide program that recognizes emerging middle school and high school age artists across the United States. Mark Arts continues to host the Eastern Kansas Scholastic Art Awards today.

As it became evident that the more than 50-year-old building on East Central needed significant repairs, it was suggested that the organization make the move to a new building. The Charles Koch Foundation generously donated 17 acres at 13^th & Rock for the facility. A capital campaign to fund the new building is announced in September 2015, led by co-chairs Mike Michaelis and Bonnie Bing Honeyman.  

The organization was officially rebranded as Mark Arts at the groundbreaking on the new building in June 2016. The name is a nod to Mary R. Koch, longtime supporter of the organization and namesake of the Fred and Mary Koch Foundation, who generously donated the lead gift for the project

The gorgeous 40,000 square foot prairie-style building officially opened to the public in 2018. It is an artistic hub that provides opportunities for the community to appreciate and create art in an atmosphere of lifelong learning. The building features seven studios for artistic instruction, a state-of-the-art culinary studio, sculpture garden, event center, and numerous gallery spaces. The Gladys & Karl T. Wiedemann Gallery is the largest commercial gallery space in the state of Kansas.