If The Art Center is powered by creativity, it’s manned by passion.

The center, the South Main Street home to the Associated Artists of Butler County, just a few months ago made the transition to a volunteer-only staff.

The nonprofit organization’s $60,000 annual budget can support only the walls and supplies needed to meet its mission of “encouraging, fostering and promoting the arts.”

The talent involved — from maintenance of the Internet site to building maintenance — is a labor of love.

“If not for volunteers, we wouldn’t be here,” said 29-year-old artist Tiffany London of Portersville. “It makes you feel good to volunteer. And it’s a great thing to do when you are in a place you really like with people you really like.”

London returned to her childhood home county two years ago after earning a Bachelor of Fine Arts from Montana State University.

London, a married mother of a 1½-year-old daughter, would love to one day find herself director at a major gallery.

But for now, she’s employed to do administrative work at a trucking company. And in her free time she also enjoys snowboarding, painting and print making.

Over the past holiday season, London entered a few of her own art pieces in one of the Art Center’s 10, month-long annual exhibits.

While at the center, she discovered a group of like-minded people, and has been volunteering four hours a week ever since.

Paul Scanlon, AABC president, said the organization, which was formed in 1934, is perhaps the longest standing arts organization in Butler County.

Yet, friends of the organization realize that, if not for progress, the agency won’t survive and thrive in days to come.

New ways of thinking are especially needed in the area of financing. The center relies heavily on donations, grants and fees, all of which tap into the pocketbooks of people who themselves have less to spend nowadays.

A strategic planning specialist has been hired to look at the organization and make recommendations for what it should do. The report is expected in weeks.

“We want a more specific plan as to where we are going and how to get there,” Scanlon said.

For now the center’s public exhibits draw 50 to 100 entries and 100 to 200 people on opening night alone. Local and visiting artists, members and non-members are welcome.

Shows are staged in the Rittelmann Gallery, the Member’s Gallery, the Underground Gallery and the Mezzanine Gallery.

Additionally, the center offers art classes to youngsters and it runs the Spirit Cafe, where artists get an open mic to try out their songs, poetry or whatever they choose to share from their artistic repertoire. All ages are welcome, but young adults are especially encouraged to participate.

Whether it is intricate water colors, photography or crayons and construction paper, Scanlon said, the Art Center’s mission is to inspire.

“It’s all about thinking out of the other side of your brain,” Scanlon said.

Because the Art Center is all volunteer run, there are plenty of opportunities to help there.

Just a few of the tasks that need to done include being a front desk attendant, mailing items, cleaning, teaching classes, painting walls, organizing library books and modeling for classes.

<b>Address: </b>AABC, 344 Main St., P.O. Box 245, Butler, PA 16003-0245<b>Services: </b>10 art shows a year<b>President: </b>Paul Scanlon<b>Phone: </b>724-283-6922<b>Web sites:</b> www.therartcenterbutlerpa.org and myspace.com/butlerartcenter