Dear Friend, 

Want to help VisArts thrive? With your support, we can continue to live up to VisArts' mission to transform individuals and communities through the visual arts. 

I'm hoping that you'll donate to VisArts' Vibrancy Fund this December. Your monthly or one-time gift of any amount -- $5, $10 or $15 donations add up! -- will help us:

• Provide scholarships so that our programs are accessible for all, regardless of ability to pay
• Act on our pledge to work for social justice through gallery, education, camp, and community outreach programming
• Keep our galleries free to the public and provide stipends to exhibiting artists
• Continue the work of our VisAbility Art Lab, which provides studio space and workforce development for artists with disabilities

Throughout the past months of stay-at-home orders, masking, and social distancing, art has continued to inspire. Art connects us with performers sharing health guidelines and messages of hope, neighbors singing to each other on balconies, visual artists creating works of art in public spaces, and musicians performing concerts online.

But the creation of art comes at a cost, and the cost for arts organizations has never been higher. The pandemic has decimated revenue streams, plunging many arts organizations into uncertainty and financial loss. While the fiscal impact on VisArts has been profound, I’m happy to report that we’ve survived by being nimble, determined, and responsive in designing virtual and socially distanced opportunities to create and connect with you. We also owe a huge debt of gratitude to our generous donors and federal, state, and local funding organizations that have kept us afloat. We wouldn’t be here today without them.

Financially, the worst may be yet to come. Many government programs have run out of money or are in jeopardy. Private donors are reining in their spending due to economic hardship or insecurity.

Throughout history, civilizations in crisis have healed through art. Art sustains our spirit and helps us find firm footing – something we all need at this time. VisArts is here to stay, but we urgently need your support from #GivingTuesday through December 31 so we can continue offering the programs and events you love. 

I know that many of you are also facing financial challenges, and I'm especially grateful for your support. While the near future is uncertain, I believe that together, we'll not only survive -- we'll thrive!

Thanks for making these transformations possible and for everything you do to support the arts in our communities.

Warmly,

Ainsley 

Ainsley MacLean, MD, Board of Directors, Vis Arts