Pete Felten Legacy Foundation earns nonprofit status to fund gallery restoration

The Pete Felten Legacy Foundation has received 501(c)(3) nonprofit status from the Internal Revenue Service, allowing it to accept tax-deductible donations to restore the late Kansas sculptor's historic Hays studio. Formed to preserve the artistic achievements of Pete Felten Jr. — a renowned self-taught artist who died in February at age 92 — the foundation is focusing on structural repairs at his longtime workspace, the Stone Gallery. Following the revitalization, which has already included a complete roof replacement, official ownership of the building at 107 1/2 W. Sixth St. will be transferred to the Ellis County Historical Society to secure a permanent home for local art history.

Felten spent decades shaping native limestone into prominent monuments across the state, including dozens of public installations in Ellis County and the four 2,000-pound portraits of famous Kansans that encircle the State Capitol rotunda in Topeka. With its new tax-exempt designation, the foundation is accelerating efforts to secure grant funding and will participate in the upcoming Heartland Foundation Give Fest, where donated funds will be matched from Oct. 1-7. Foundation representative Eileen Moore said the milestone provides art lovers a direct way to invest in preserving Felten's public sculptures and ensures his old-school craftsmanship remains protected for future generations.

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