Oxford Community Arts Center celebrates 25 years; mayor proclaims Caroline Scott Harrison Day

Oxford — The Oxford Community Arts Center (OCAC) presented its year-end review to the city council Wednesday as it enters its 25th year in the historic Oxford Female Institute building. Mayor William B. Snavely read a proclamation recognizing Oct. 29, 2025, as Caroline Scott Harrison Day.

Heidi Schiller, OCAC executive director, told council the nonprofit operates in a 176‑year‑old building and supports local artists, instructors and community groups through exhibitions, performance series, classes and signature events. “Everything we do, whether it’s on the stage, in the classroom, or on the sidewalk, is about bringing people together through shared creative experiences,” Schiller said.

Schiller summarized 2024–25 activity: 22 curated exhibitions featuring 154 local artists and about 695 works of art; 20 live shows and more than 100 regional and national performers; signature events that drew over 15,000 in-person participants; and expanding digital reach with more than 5,700 online followers. She also noted that roughly 32% of the center’s income came from individual donations and grants, with a single April fundraiser providing about 12% of revenue.

Schiller described program expansions such as a sewing lab in a remodeled Tower Room to offer skill-based craft classes and noted plans tied to a fundraising and architectural master plan that would add meeting space, air conditioning for studios and other upgrades. The center said it began fiscal year 2026 in a strong financial position and expects to end the year ahead of budget projections.

Mayor Snavely read a proclamation that recounted Caroline Scott Harrison’s Oxford roots and public-service legacy and formally declared Oct. 29, 2025, Caroline Scott Harrison Day in Oxford. The proclamation text was delivered in full at the meeting.