Greetings To All Members
The New Year is upon us and that means it is time to renew your membership for 2016 in the Marlborough Arts Center.
Your dues and support during 2015 have helped make it a truly memorable year. We reached out to you in February to share the Vision of an ART PARK, of buying the adjoining land at 225 North Main Street, preserving it in its natural treed state, and creating opportunities for a future sculpture garden, walking paths for en plein air artists, and even a labyrinth. This Vision could not have been realized without you, our members, along with other friends and lovers of the arts throughout the community and even beyond Connecticut, who gave generously to raise the $80,000 needed.
The Hartford Foundation for Public Giving agreed with the Vision as a progressive and worthwhile project, and awarded us a grant of $40,000 if we could raise the matching funds. And, in three months time all of us working together did just that: the land was purchased and this major goal achieved. What a life-altering change this is for MAC and for the future growth of the arts in our region.
Even with all the fund raising and focus on the future, we continued with a dynamic year of:
– various art classes – monthly “4th Friday @ the Arts Cafe”
– Judged Members’ Artist Exhibition – Members’ art exhibited at Town Hall
– Annual Students Art Show – Dance Academy of Colchester Recitals
– Spring and Christmas Elementary School Concerts
– Arts Weekend and Sale
– month-long multi-cultural celebrations/activities Day of the Dead
Beyond our own members’ art, the examples of outreach and collaboration with organizations in the communities are a vital part of us being a regional center for the arts. And, increasingly, the Arts Center is becoming known as a wonderful setting as people rent our beautiful facility for special events. We hope that many more members will consider renting out the Arts Center when you have occasions to celebrate. We are indeed a home for the arts and “a place to be.”
None of this would be possible without the loyalty of our members. Your dues support these arts and activities. Any time you volunteer makes it easier to continue the work(s) of the Arts Center. As a volunteer non-profit organization we appreciate the time and skills of our members, so let us know if and when you’d like to be more involved by checking the appropriate boxes on the membership form. Then please renew your membership at the level you choose, mail the form with a check for your dues to: Marlborough Arts Center, 231 North Main Street, Marlborough, CT 06447.
Thank you for sustaining MAC’s present and its future. We hope to see you often throughout the year at annual events, Art Shows, “4th Friday @ the Arts Cafe” musical evenings, and many other activities now in the planning stages for 2016. You will find all the latest news in your monthly MAC Memo emails, in local news media, and by checking our website www.marlborougharts.org or calling (860) 295-9389.
Fran Terase
President, Board of Directors