Heralded as a "cultural oasis on the prairie," the Baker Arts Center adds a refreshing splash of fine arts to Southwest Kansas, an area typically characterized as a cultural desert.
Baker Arts Center has been open since 1986. It was established after the death of Irene Dillon Baker in 1984, having been established in 1979 by the Bakers, long time supporters of the arts.  After their deaths, the home and adjacent properties were left to the Baker Art Foundation to be converted into a center for the arts.

Many of the works in the BAC permanent collection and the books in the library were originally purchased by Irene Baker.
 
The center provides much needed exhibit space for artists who work in conventional techniques like oil, acrylic and watercolor painting, sculpture and photography. Exhibits have also featured textile art, quilt displays, handmade jewelry, woodworking, glass works, collage and more.