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Learn about Downtown Goshen Not-for-profit Member organizations
Art House (211 South Main, 2nd Floor)
Art House
Art House provides a creative outlet for artists by operating a low-barrier, high-possibility venue for film, theater, comedy, music, and art. The Art House space at 211 S. Main St. has been the site of more than 400 events since 170 volunteers renovated the space from 2003 to 2005.
The venue includes a one-screen cinema showcasing films from a range of genres – everything from under-the-radar indie releases to family-friendly favorites. Art House also has an intimate Black Box Theater space that’s home to the GoProv improv group. Additionally, Black Box is the place to experience concerts, staged readings, live theater, art galleries, stand-up comedians, magic shows, burlesque, and more!
DGI (234 South Main, Suite 4)
Downtown Goshen Incorporated
Goshen’s downtown is one of the coolest around – hands down. Few cities our size (around 33,000 residents) can boast about a thriving downtown cultural arts scene, beautiful historic architecture, and intriguing places to eat and shop.
Downtown Goshen Inc. focuses on letting people know just how exciting our city can be. With monthly festivals and themed events free to the public, there’s plenty of opportunity for people to discover the ingenious things the Goshen community has to offer.
Gaining Grounds (114 East Lincoln)
Gaining Grounds
ADEC proudly advocates for and serves people with intellectual and developmental disabilities in Elkhart and St. Joseph counties so they can live lives full of choice and possibility. We serve more than 1,000 individuals each year. The letters in ADEC’s name stand for our four core values: A life of their own, Dignity, Employment, and Community.
ADEC opened the first Gaining Grounds Coffee Shop in 2009 as a way to establish common ground between the people we serve and our community. The goal was to entice people in with a “fresh cuppa joe” and keep them coming back for the friendships they form with the individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities we serve at ADEC. And we’re happy to report it has worked!
Goshen Historical Society Museum (124 South Main)
Goshen Historical Society
The Goshen Historical Society’s mission is to preserve and share the ongoing story of Goshen.
Researching the history of Goshen in preparation for the 1981 sesquicentennial celebration revealed a rich heritage that had not previously been recognized in a public, organized way. However, that was about to change.
The Gardner house at the northwest corner of Main Street and Madison Street was used temporarily to house artifacts collected during the celebration until the house had to be dismantled in 1987. The artifacts were then stored in the city’s Annex Building, out of sight.
In 1998, the Society bought a 99-year-old retail store at 124 S. Main St. known as the Adams Store and transformed it into the Goshen Historical Museum.
Goshen Theater (216 South Main)
The Goshen Theater
Goshen Theater Inc. (GTI) is a public-private partnership of community leaders acting to restore the Goshen Theater as the centerpiece of Goshen’s arts and music culture.
The group has successfully completed multiple studies and solicited millions of dollars in funding for renovations to the theater. GTI is now moving forward with a campaign to secure the next phase of financial support for the project. Restorations to downtown’s historic cultural hub are scheduled to begin in earnest in April.
Goshen Youth Arts (324 South 5th)
Goshen Youth Arts
Goshen Youth Arts is a non-profit organization focused on providing fine art classes to young people ages 9 to 19 in the Goshen/Elkhart area. Our classes are taught by professionally trained and educated local artists.
No experience is required in order to take part in our classes. Our mission is to teach the skills and present the opportunity for engagement in fine arts. Goshen Youth Arts’ after-school, weekend, and summer art classes give youths an opportunity to engage in ceramics, printmaking, painting, and drawing.
Goshen Youth Arts opened its doors in the summer of 2016. We wanted to create a safe space for kids to go, create art, and be themselves!
Local Co. 132 (132 South Main)
The Local
Through cooperative practices, The Local supports Goshen-area artists with business education, experience, and commerce.
In our newly remodeled art boutique and gallery at 132 S. Main St., visitors can find the fine work of more than 60 Goshen artists. Behind the register, they’ll meet an artist ready to greet them and share their story about the work they do within our community. Our store carries a unique assortment of gifts, jewelry, statement pieces, and gallery-worthy fine art all made by local artists and artisans.
Ten Thousand Villages (206 South Main)
Ten Thousand Villages
Ten Thousand Villages exists to create opportunities for artisans in developing countries to earn income. We do this by bringing their products and stories to our markets through long-term, fair trading relationships.
Ten Thousand Villages in Goshen is one of a network of non-profit, fair trade stores throughout the U.S. and Canada, selling handcrafted jewelry and accessories, tableware, and home and holiday decor by makers in developing countries around the world.
The organization was founded in 1946 by Edna Ruth Byler, a pioneering entrepreneur who saw how sales of handcrafted goods could provide vital income for makers who had no access to local markets. Our store was established in 1977, providing a fair trade marketplace for shoppers in Goshen and surrounding communities.
The Window (223 South Main)
The Window
At The Window, our mission as a non-profit, faith-based organization is to provide services to meet the essential needs of anyone with limited income.
The Window helps the community in many ways, one of which is through Katie’s Kitchen soup kitchen. We also offer the Clothes Closet, a food pantry, and provide Goshen’s Meals on Wheels program.
Demands for The Window’s services has grown in recent years, and we have utilized our existing space to its fullest. Last fall, The Window purchased the upstairs of our building at 223 S. Main St. in order to reconfigure its floor plan. Renovation to the space is under way!