By Jason Horst, Owner of Horst Arts LLC
A Team Culture Tactics feature piece from our Fall 2025 issue of the Lancaster Thriving Publication
Horst Arts Center was built around community engagement. The business started in 2003 as a home-based endeavor. But as the business grew, so did our desire to be involved in our local community. That community is Lancaster County with a focus on Manheim, as our public studio is located at 17 North Main Street in Manheim as of 2019.
Our dual focus on creative solutions and community has led us into the world of murals. And our most creative mural project from last year was the one now found in the Lancaster Chamber building. Along with a painted background of an abstract view of Lancaster County, it features thirteen wooden Pennsylvania Dutch style birds (“distelfinks”) that represent the various cities and towns of the county. And as with all of our murals, we consider the space where it will be seen and who will be seeing it. This mural is in a mixed use gallery and social space. The birds act as puzzles, allowing visitors to figure out which town each bird represents based on the elements and colors that make up the bird. This provides both a talking point for the staff and an ice breaker for visitors. It also encourages interaction and fun photo opps.
But murals can also be abstract. Using a company’s branding and characteristics as inspiration, we can turn a “dead corporate space” into a space that brings energy to a room—and to a team.
Creating special moments is a huge part of our creative solutions. Our studio features a large circular scrap wood table that was built to encourage maximum engagement. We like to say that “nobody is stuck in a corner.” In this space we offer art-based and craft-based workshops. Some of these we invented ourselves, like our new Lancaster-themed Hex Sign workshop. Others (like String Art) have been around for decades, but we couldn’t find them offered elsewhere in the area. However, on top of being unique, each workshop is both non-threatening to those intimidated by creativity, and scalable to those who thrive on it. You can either copy one of our samples, or you can use the tools and direction we provide to challenge yourself and let your creativity explode.
And all of our workshops are portable. Any of them can be brought to your business or event venue. Whether at our location or yours, these workshops have proven to be fantastic team building solutions for companies wanting something unique and boutique. We love customizing our workshops to your themes! And if you decide you want to keep it even more simple, four of our workshops come as to-go kits: Hex Signs, Junk Journals, Decoupage Earrings, and String Art.
Whether you have an idea and aren’t sure how to execute it, or you’re simply out of ideas, Jason and Katherine at Horst Arts Center would be happy to work with you on finding a solution that is both appropriate and inspirational to your team.
ABOUT HORST ARTS
Horst Arts Center is a creative solutions studio located at 17 North Main Street in Manheim. While the company was built on graphic design and web development in 2003, today our offerings are much broader, with a focus on murals, unique workshops, and creative visual business solutions. Horst Art Center is run by Jason and Katherine Horst. Katherine is a collage artist represented by Red Raven Art Company on Gallery Row. Her painterly collage approach allows integration of all manner of papers and packaging into her creations, which leads to final pieces that are interactive—the more you look the more you discover. This makes them ideal for business lobbies and waiting rooms. With Jason leading the design side of the business, the two collaborate on creative experiences and solutions for businesses of all types. They’ve worked with everyone from local companies such as the Lancaster County Community Foundation and Lancaster Farmland Trust, to larger businesses such as HGTV, Paste Magazine, and Coca-Cola. Learn more by visiting horstarts.com and following us on social media platforms via @horstarts. Or start a conversation with Jason at (717) 682-2403.
(717) 682-2403 | horstarts.com
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