WE GOT THE BEAT. Musician Mike Rambo, foreground, lays down a beat during a jam session at the new home of CollECtive Arts in downtown Eau Claire.

On Oct. 11, I attended the CollECtive Arts open house event at their new downtown Eau Claire venue. 

While I attended the organization’s open house at 308-310 E. Madison St., I got to meet with the wonderful crew and see how they plan to further bring arts into the Chippewa Valley community. What they had to offer was a vast opportunity for community members, music enthusiasts, and music teachers alike. The studio was abuzz, and as I entered in, a circle of attendees were practicing an improv routine. Letting the community members flex their improv skills, I stepped in to talk to Mike Rambo about the mission of the organization, an outgrowth of his CollECtive Choir, an all-ages singing group.

The plan for creating an arts-focused space like the new CollECtive venue had been a dream in the making for five years. It works to create an environment that supports a number of different events; anything from dance routines to music gigs, and even practice spaces for music teachers to utilize. CollECtive Arts is planning to pair up with the L.E. Phillips Memorial Public Library to create a music library, offering instruments of all kinds for members of the community to learn and play. 

“I really feel that the program will come full throttle from here,” Rambo said. If Oct. 11 wasn’t enough of a showing, the organization has felt a lot of support from the community with the potential of expanding into area neighborhoods.

The organization is founded on one principle, “reflect the love of Jesus through the arts.” This new facility is to help create a space for the organization to operate and offer resources to the musically intrigued community of Eau Claire and the Chippewa Valley. The CollECtive Arts crew showed they were interested in maintaining their goal, and were happy to talk and interact with the participating members of the community. Their new facility offers an array of equipment, such as drum kits, synths, practice spaces, and even a cozy kitchen.

The rest of my time there, Mike and I spent a significant chunk of it experimenting with beat making and looping. It was a fun experience and I am excited to see what the future holds for CollECtive Arts.

For more information about the organization, visit collectiveartsec.org.