With the completion of our $2.6 million capital campaign, Wayne Center for the Arts is celebrating a remarkable milestone and the generosity of the community that made it possible. What began as a vision for expanding creativity, education, and community connection has become a reality with the opening of the FabLab and the Ralph R. and Grace B. Jones Arts Park.
Among the many supporters who helped bring this vision to life are the Seaman Family Foundation and Seaman Corporation, whose generosity is recognized through the official naming of The WCA FabLab for Innovation and Creativity made possible by the Seaman Family Foundation and Seaman Corporation.
The Seaman family’s additional gift was one of the final major contributions to the campaign, which was brought to a successful close with a capstone gift from the Stanley C. Gault Philanthropic Fund at the Wayne County Community Foundation.
Where Creativity and Innovation Meet
Since opening on June 27, 2026, the FabLab has introduced students and community members to new creative possibilities, including glasswork, enameling, woodworking, welding, and blacksmithing.
Beyond learning to use new tools and materials, participants are encouraged to experiment, solve problems, build confidence, and discover new interests. These connections between creativity and practical skills are particularly meaningful to the Seaman family.
“Innovation begins with creative thinking and the Fablab will provide students opportunities to develop the problem-solving, design, and technical skills that fuel both artistic expression and workforce success,” says Kimberly Seaman, Executive Director of the Seaman Family Foundation.
Seaman Corporation and the Seaman Family Foundation also contributed roofing materials for the FabLab, providing both financial and material support for the project.
The Wayne County Economic Development Council recently highlighted the many local partnerships behind the project in its article, Made in Wayne County: The Collaboration Behind the FabLab.
Honoring a Legacy of Community Investment
The studio within the FabLab will also be dedicated in honor of Stan and Flo Gault, recognizing their family’s longstanding commitment to the arts and the Wooster community.
Stan Gault played an important role in transforming the historic Walnut Street School into the thriving arts center we know today. The studio dedication honors that legacy while celebrating the continued investment in creativity and education.
“The generosity and enthusiasm of our Wayne County community have been truly overwhelming,” says WCA Executive Director Sara Brink. “We are deeply grateful to the Seaman family, Seaman Corporation, the Stanley C. Gault Philanthropic Fund, and the many donors who helped us bring this vision to life.”
The Next Chapter Is Already Underway
While completing the capital campaign is a significant milestone, the most exciting part is seeing these spaces come to life.
Since opening this summer, the FabLab has welcomed participants through camps, workshops, and classes. Children and adults are discovering new creative interests, learning unfamiliar techniques, and experiencing the satisfaction of making something with their own hands.
With additional classes being developed for January 2027, we’re looking forward to expanding programming, building partnerships, and welcoming even more people into these creative spaces.
The FabLab and Arts Park represent years of generosity and collaboration, but their lasting impact will be found in the people who use them and the possibilities they discover.
Explore current classes and upcoming opportunities at WayneArtsCenter.org/FabLab.