DREAMS Center for Arts Education, a nonprofit organization that provides art classes for underprivileged children, opened its new location Jan. 28. The building at 901 Fanning St. is bigger and more accommodating than the nonprofit’s previous location, allowing it to expand and offer more classes to more children.

 “DREAMS of Wilmington is dedicated to building creative, committed citizens, one child at a time, through high-quality, free-of-charge programming in the literary, visual, and performing arts,” states the DREAMS website.

The new building houses a dance studio, photography studio, music rooms and rooms for other classes offered throughout the year. The move to the new location has made it possible for the program to double its enrollment from 75 to 150 students per week, and they no longer have to turn kids away or put them on a wait list due to lack of space.

On the move to the new location, Wilmington Mayor Bill Saffo said, “This is truly a beautiful day in our community, our country.”

The center still has plans for growth and is currently raising money for additional innovations, including an outdoor performance space. The original space was 2,000 square feet; the new location offers 12,000 square feet of space to work with.

The City of Wilmington is leasing the stone garage to DREAMS for one dollar a year. The nonprofit’s goal is to raise $950,000 to complete the renovations, and it is more than halfway there.

DREAMS has a high rate of success; 99 percent of its students graduate from high school, and many go on to pursue higher education.

During a tour of DREAMS, Sarah Carpenter, the lead program coordinator, makes sure to greet every child that comes in by name. Many students arrive at the center before their class starts and meet in the lounge room to talk to their friends and the volunteers. A college-aged boy sits in one of the chairs and plays the guitar as the kids file in and out of the room.

DREAMS offers classes in songwriting, recycled art, weaving, purse making, pottery, photography, chorus, drumming, theater, painting and drawing. There are no auditions; every child is welcome to pursue his or her interests. Classes average about 10 students and are supervised by one teacher and one volunteer.

DREAMS of Wilmington states on its site, “Put simply: An investment in DREAMS is an investment in the future of our community.”

Carpenter emphasized that investing time in DREAMS is just as important as investing money.

Additionally, its youth entrepreneurship program immerses students in the community, teaches them different skills and gives them real world experience. Students in the entrepreneurship program are able to sell their artwork around town at different events, and they get to keep 80 percent of their profits. The other 20 percent goes back to the program for supplies.

DREAMS Center for the Arts is still growing, and this program will be providing children in Wilmington with opportunities for years to come.