Dear Friends,

With the holiday season upon us, we want to take a moment to reflect on the past year and look ahead with optimism to the New Year.

This year marked our first as a merged organization with Network for Strong Communities (NSC), and together we achieved several meaningful milestones. In the spring, we hosted a Town Hall with more than 90 representatives from arts organizations and announced two grant opportunities, the Arts & Healing Initiative and the Rural Arts Initiative. By mid-August, we received over 80 thoughtful applications, a strong testament to the creativity and commitment of our arts community.

Throughout the year, conversations with our stakeholders provided valuable insights into how we can best serve as an arts convener and strengthen the sector as a whole.

After careful reflection, we have determined that the most impactful way to support the arts community is to deepen our partnership with NSC by leveraging the strategic, educational, programmatic, and operational services already benefiting nonprofits across the region. We believe that when nonprofits thrive, communities flourish.

We will continue championing the Arts & Healing Initiative by cultivating partnerships between arts organizations and health and human service nonprofits, advancing the arts as a powerful contributor to individual and community well-being.

In addition, we will offer Capacity Building Scholarships (CBS). Scholarship recipients will receive a comprehensive organizational assessment and a customized, year-long plan that includes free consulting, training, and peer mentorship. Areas of focus may include board governance, fundraising, leadership development, human resources, marketing, volunteer coordination, fiscal management, evaluation, collaboration, and administrative support.

As we close out the year, we hope we can count on your support to help sustain and strengthen our arts community. Please consider making a year-end contribution by clicking the donate button below.

Thank you for your consideration, and warmest wishes for a joyful holiday season and a bright New Year!