OUR HISTORY

Local developer and businessman MT Johnson, Jr. opened Sunset Center Market Town in 1960 to a crowd of 100,000 excited area residents.

 

This was the first mall for Amarillo and was the most popular place to shop for more than two decades until Westgate Mall opened its doors in 1982.

 

A decade later, in 1992, another local developer, C. W. Crouch, decided to buy the property out of foreclosure in hopes of eventually revitalizing the property.

 

In 2001, when Mr. Crouch passed away, his wife Ann took over management of the mall.

 

After successfully opening the Panhandle Art Center or PAC and renting out galleries throughout the center, Ann then opened the Amarillo Art Institute in 2004.

 

Today, Arts in the Sunset is run by the Crouch Foundation,a 501(c)3 organization. The Foundation was created following the death of Ann in 2017 with the sole purpose of reviving the well-known art center.

 

After years of construction, Arts in the Sunset “re-opened” with a revitalized building and a new goal of being an art center that is community minded. The Public Gallery became available for anyone in the local area to hang their artwork for free. Owlworks giftshop opened for members and artists of Arts in the Sunset to sell their work. National exhibitions came in and made experiences available for the public to enjoy. Invited 24 artists of all different mediums to have a studio on the property. Created affordable venue rentals for local people to host events. Amarillo Art Institute continued to offer classes and workshops, and increased availability for all levels of artists.