A new art gallery in Pilot Point unites the community from far and wide.
On March 27, Starbright Center for the Arts opened its doors to the public for the grand opening of its new addition of the Starbright Gallery, “a community artist co-op gallery.”
“Thank you, everybody, for being here in the snuggly space,” Kailey Rice said.
Before they cut the ribbon, Rice gave special thanks to the artists, saying “we would not be able to do this without them.”
Actors and owners Rice and her husband Joe Hjelmgren bought the Pilot Point Community Opera House in October of 2025 to turn it into the Starbright Center for the Arts.
The couple has made many subtle but mighty changes that have increased its visibility and drawn the community out for the arts.
“There are more artists around than people think there are, and they just don't have a space, so it really just showcases [and] brings people together that hadn't met before,” attendee and artist Ally Hardick said.
Some of the updates to the Starbright Center include new paint work, monthly movie screenings and renovations to the side garden by a student’s parent, Sarah Kent.
One of their biggest additions is the co-op art gallery, and a lot of helping hands went into turning the idea into reality, including Justine Scott and Janice Sheppard, whom Rice credits.
“Justine and I had been talking about adding an art gallery to this building for a long time, even before I had bought it, about how cool it would be to have a visual art space, because we have the theater, the music and then we also have art classes, but we never really had a place to display it,” Rice said. “So, after we got settled in and saw what spaces we were using, this space totally wasn't being used at all, and it had its beautiful natural lighting.”
Scott is a lover of the arts and plays many roles at the Starbright Center, which include directing, acting and teaching.
She is also an artist and muralist, with several works featured throughout Pilot Point and now at the gallery.
“What's really terrific is, first of all, it builds the community of artists, because we, in solidarity, have something to build together,” Scott said. “So, we are no longer our separate entities doing our own thing. We are now part of a collective, and that makes all of us more powerful, all of us more seen.”
Sheppard shared her thoughts about the gallery as an artist herself and owner of Hosanna Artworks in Pilot Point.
“The thing about art is it's unique to everybody, and so it's the one thing that can bring people together and have a discussion,” Sheppard said. “And it doesn't matter what your background is, what your political belief is, you can come together and enjoy or talk about it, or not even like it.”
The co-op gallery is run by the artists who display their work.
Instead of paying to rent the space, the artists volunteer at the gallery, and with every piece they sell, a small portion goes back to Starbright.
The art gallery is open both online and in person from 4-7 p.m. on Fridays and from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. on Saturdays throughout April.
Future artists who are interested in joining the art gallery can send an email to starbrightmpa@ gmail.com.
