During an online chat Wednesday afternoon, Melissa Windsor, executive director of the Emporia Arts Council, discussed the final push on the fundraising campaign to pay for a new arts center in downtown Emporia. Here is the transcript.
Q Will children’s photography be offered? My fourth-grader really would love something like that. Maybe even some Photoshop stuff and so on?
A EAC has offered photography classes in the past for both children and adults. We will certainly make every effort to offer more classes in this area in the coming years. Our class schedule is often determined by the availability of our teachers.
Photoshop classes would be a great addition to EAC’s class line-up. Of course in order to offer classes involving computers, EAC will need to add computers to our classrooms. At this time we do not have funding set aside for computers in our classrooms; however, we can certainly pursue additional equipment in the future. Our new facility is designed with future growth in our programming and classes in mind.
Q How many years have you been working on the plans for a new arts center?
A EAC entered the quiet phase of the campaign in 2006; and we announced the public phase in 2007. Planning for the new arts center began with a feasibility study conducted in 2005 to explore the opportunities for a capital campaign. As we approach the $2.8 million goal, you may be interested in knowing that we have secured more than $500,000 in out-of-county, out-of-state support for this project. This would not have been possible without the early and generous support of many Emporians, including such local stalwarts as the Jones Trust, Trusler Foundation and the Reeble Foundation.
Q What have been the biggest challenges in raising money for the new arts center?
A The single, biggest challenge is educating or helping people understand everything that EAC does in our community and in the region. I know when I started as EAC executive director in 2006, I was amazed to learn the breath and scope of EAC programming and services.
In the past 33 years, the Emporia Arts Council has been the catalyst for more than 1,100 artistic and cultural programs and events in Emporia and the seven-county service area. During our last fiscal year, EAC served more than 9,000 children, and 10,000 adults attended or participated in EAC workshops, programs and events.
As this “education process” has taken place individuals, companies, foundations and trusts have bought into the goals and objectives of the campaign. More than 300 donors, families, individuals, foundations and trusts have joined in. We are truly blessed to have such a giving and generous community.
Q Why do you want a new downtown arts center, and what is the problem with your current facilities?
A The current facility does not provide enough space or the right type of space for the growing programming of the arts council. The campaign will finance the construction of a new facility in the heart of Emporia, directly north of the Emporia Granada Theatre.
The new 15,000 square foot facility will provide significant new educational space, art exhibition space and performance training/rehearsal space. The limited size and scope of the current arts facility is not conducive to the many requests we receive from Emporia and surrounding area schools.
EAC is proud of its work with community and area children. For years it has provided summer classes and after school arts programming. The new facility will have a children’s theatre. The “Young Thespian Players” program has grown, continues to grow and will benefit dramatically from the new theatre. This space also allows children to conduct musical performances and recitals.
Children from ages 2 to 17 will benefit from this campaign. Two new classrooms, a customized clay studio, and a multi-use (field trip) classroom will be located in the new center. These four spaces are designed specifically for our work with children. The new classrooms will replace a single classroom we currently use on Mechanic Street.
The Emporia Arts Council also schedules and completes public performances focused on families with children. In fact, every professional performance EAC brings to our community offers an educational component for children. For example, last year, the entire student body of Riverside Elementary, William Allen White Elementary and Turning Point Learning Center attended a private performance by the Golden Dragon Acrobats.
Q A bigger facility will cost more to operate every month. Does the arts council have plenty of extra money to cover the increased monthly expenses?
A EAC expects additional expenses with the new facility. Although extra funds will be necessary to operate the new facility, additional income is expected with our improved presence on Commercial Street and larger space to offer a wider variety of classes and arts programming. There will also be a lateral transfer of current operating funds.
Thanks to the hard work of those that came before us, EAC is fortunate to have an endowed fund at the Emporia Community Foundation. The campaign has already generated additional gifts for this endowment. EAC will continue to seek funding to grow this fund to assist its annual operation.
Q What size of donations are looking for? Are donations tax deductible?
A First let me say, EAC is grateful for any size of gift or pledge. Everyone is encouraged to contribute to this campaign and our organization. We see this as a community or civic project and the more that join the greater the community pride. That said, multi-year pledges are encouraged.
If someone is able to donate $1,000 this year or $500 or $100, would he or she consider donating that same amount for five years? We have many people making multi-year pledges to this campaign.
Yes, donations or gifts are tax deductable. The Emporia Arts Council is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization under the IRS Code. As such, EAC accepts a variety of charitable gifts. The EAC board of directors will accept and manage gifts for the endowment owned by the Council, and for programs and capital improvements, including:
• Gifts of cash (may be made over five-year pledge period);
• Gifts of securities, including stock, bonds, mutual funds and IRAs;
• Gifts of personal property (e.g., coin collections, antique cars, artwork, etc.);
• Gifts of real property, including real estate, homes, business property, farmland, etc.;
• Gifts of trusts, including charitable remainder trusts, family trusts, annuity trusts, etc.;
• Gifts of insurance as long as the EAC is both owner and beneficiary;
• Gifts of bequests (e.g., gifts received at death directed by a will or living trust).
Q How much money has been raised so far for meeting the challenge grant?
A Today, I am pleased to announce we are only $41,000 away from reaching our $2.8 million goal. Since the challenge was given last week, we have raised $21,000.
It is a privilege to be a part of this organization. The Emporia Arts Council is vibrant and dynamic organization that is dedicated to Emporia and our surrounding area. In everything we do we focus our efforts on the value and importance of arts and cultural programming to our community.
We believe a dynamic EAC expands the vision and values of children and families. A dynamic EAC fosters our sense of community and neighborhoods. A dynamic EAC enhances the educational opportunities of children, influences entrepreneurship, and helps business people think “outside the box.”
A new facility, an expanded endowment and a growing annual fund are key to creating an ever more dynamic EAC. The time for this expanded EAC vision is now. If you are interested in being a part of this campaign or adding to your existing pledge, please feel free to contact me at 343-6473 or e-mail me at director@emporiaksarts.org