BOISE — Trica stands for Treasure Valley Institute for Children's Arts. The mission is to inspire children to develop attitudes and values to contribute to a stronger sense of community and good will.
Founder, Jon Swarthout says he started the program almost 24 years ago.
"Really the goal of Trica is to inspire the heck out of children and inspire stronger sense of humanity and good will," said Jon Swarthout, Trica founder.
He says art is extremely important for the learning process of children.
"This place is going to be filled with passionate teachers in front of students teaching them how to do dances from different countries and time periods. Teaching them how to paint, how to make ceramics. A passionate teacher with a meaningful curriculum in front of a group of children."
He says the building was originally a church built in 1907. Now it's being resurrected.
"A fusion between if you can imagine a cathedral, a factory and a turn of the century school house."
He says it will be a mutli-use space that will have a theater, a studio, a ballroom and will be used for an after school program as well as all day summer camps
"All different disciplines of art, dance theater music. You name it."
What he says can have a profound affect on children and who they will become.
"The idea of having a home, we could reach even more children and grow and inspire more families."
Swarthout says he hopes the project will be finished by the end of 2019.
