Committed to supporting art creation and appreciation throughout our community
The SAAC staff and Board of Trustees would like to extend a sincere "THANK YOU" To everyone who donated to the Art Center this spring. Whether you renewed your membership or generously donated, we are still here because of you. Every penny we receive is being put back into the organization to cover rent, personnel, and basic expenses. We will continue to bring you the best programming and events we can through virtual means until we are able to come together again. We’d also like to take a moment to thank all of our 2019 donors and members. Your continued financial and moral support is what keeps us going.
ART IN THE PARK
It was not easy to cancel what would have been our 54th Annual Art in the Park this past Memorial Day weekend, but we know it was the right decision for all involved. Art organizations are not only struggling to keep their doors open, but artists who rely on these organizations to exhibit and sell their work are suffering as well. While we were unable to move forward with the live event, we want to take a moment to thank each and every artist who submitted their art for consideration. We will be highlighting many of these artists this summer on our website and through social media.
EXHIBITS
COVID put a damper on our summer plans, there’s still a lot going on at the Art Center! We were able to move each of our spring and summer exhibits online for public viewing and sales opportunities, including Augurs and Auguries and Art: a Voice. Our April exhibit, Glory! is still available for viewing in our Gallery Archives.
We are pleased to announce that ‘Round about Midnight, paintings by Angus Carter, will be installed later this month. We plan to open the galleries on a restricted basis and will follow strict guidelines to keep the galleries safe for all visitors. Stay tuned for specifics closer to the date. In the meantime, please visit our website for exhibit information and updates.
SUMMER HAPPENINGS
We are excited about two new projects that are still in the planning stages. We are working on an art box project for the kids, and an outdoor Art Walk for art enthusiasts of all ages. Stay tuned for information on these two summer programs. Again, we will announce updates on social media and on our website
In early April, we launched our Summer of ’20 Art Contest. Marc Borzelleca graciously designed our winning t-shirt, and artists of all ages have been creating and sharing their art ever since. There are still three more weeks to go and six more t-shirts to win. Prompts and winners are announced every Monday. It's not too late to join in on the fun!
SOCIAL MEDIA
The internet and social media have been the lifeblood of retail businesses, restaurants, and non-profits this spring. We would have floundered without the ability to bring you exhibits, programs, and information through our website and Facebook. Equally important is our ability to disseminate information quickly and free of charge. Last year, we paid approximately $4,500 on printing and postage for program and event announcements alone. At a time when we are assessing every penny that leaves our account, that is a hefty expense.
While many people are reluctant to engage in social media, I encourage EVERYONE to keep us in mind and check our website regularly for updates and program information. If you do use social media, please "like" us on Facebook and follow us on Instagram. We want to stay in touch and need your help to keep the lines of communication open.
Once again we would like to offer profound gratitude to everyone who has supported us, participated in our classes and programs, visited our galleries (both in-person and online), or simply offered words of hope and encouragement. You have all made the Staunton Augusta Art Center a true community effort, and I am proud to be serving as its Executive Director!
Sincerely,
