Our Mission

Backus Arts Programs:

• Performing Arts - Concerts and Visual Arts programming for the community
  • Riverfest - Free outdoor concert every July 1
• Music & Arts
  • Rainy Lake Community Orchestra
  • Rainy Lake Bells
  • Community Band
  • Jazz Band
  • Community Choir
  • Music instrument lessons
  • Vocal lessons
  • Tuesday Musicale scholarship
• Community Theater
  • Borealis Bards
  • Rainy Lake Playhouse
• Backus Summer Arts for Kids
  • Theater, music, and dance
  • Visual Arts
• Community Gathering
  • Game Nights
  • Local Musician Concerts
  • Visual Art Nights
  • Kids Crochet Club
  • Puzzle Exchange Program
  • Pickleball
  • Volleyball
  • Bridge clubs
  • PALS events

Backus is strongly committed to promoting the arts and making them available to people for both learning and entertainment.  Keeping the arts alive helps promote social interaction, creativity, and wards off feelings of remoteness and isolation. 

Backus is the hub for community activities:

• Ruby's Pantry food distribution is hosted at the Backus each month.
• Community Meetings and forums are held to inform and engage or citizens.
• Emergency responders conduct safety exercises and personnel training.
• People come to play pickleball, volleyball, basketball, to dance, walk about the building, and for Mustang Wrestling.
• Bridge clubs have a dedicated room to play.
• Grief Support meetings, garden club meetings, and non-denominational bible studies are held here.
• Backus partners with the United Way of Northeastern MN to have back to school events and to share home and personal good through its "comforts of home" program.

Backus's central location, size, and reputation with citizens make it an ideal location for helping during times of emergency.

• When people across the county are without power for extended periods of time in the winter, County officials called Backus to help provide a warm place for people to come until power is restored.
• When our county faced a flood crisis, the Red Cross set up headquarters in the Backus building.
• Community Resources wall - shows the community who to call or where to look for the help they need.

What is available to rent?

• Rooms available for parties, conferences, meetings, gatherings, workshops, etc. 
• Gymnasium for open play, or parties
• Space for banquets and large events
• Commercial Kitchen
• Little Theater for productions or concerts

Please check out Building Rental in the ABOUT tab for more information.

Aside from bringing our community together with the Backus Music and Theater programs, we have some pretty amazing tenants in our building as well:

• International Falls Police Department
• KOOTASCA Community Action
• 4H
• Veterans Lodge
• Department of Public Safety
• Oberholtzer Foundation
• Dancin' with Darcie
• Thrivent Financial
• Mustang Wrestling

Backus Community Center is more than just a building.  It is a dedicated group of board members, staff and volunteers who want to improve the quality of life in Borderland, one event and project at a time.