Thank You for Supporting the Fine Arts Center

Despite the difficulties we have all faced this year, we appreciate you and the many supporters who have helped the Fine Arts Center for the New River Valley continue its mission to provide arts education programs for children and adults and to promote art and artists from the New River Valley. We wouldn’t have made it through 2020 without you!

Finding things to be thankful for in the midst of a pandemic can be a struggle, but as the light at the end of that tunnel becomes a glimmer that will hopefully allow us all to mingle and connect in person, we at the Center would like to thank the many people who supported us throughout this difficult year. Like many businesses, we weren’t able to keep our doors open, but we made adjustments to the way we do our our work and found success thanks to you and others who have continued to support us. Here are just a few things the Center has accomplished this year through your support.

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Since we couldn’t open our doors, we reimagined our Second Saturday Art Cafés for children and Workshops for Adults. We started with creating FREE grab-and-go art kits for children. We hoped to work up to involving at least 100 children a month, but thanks to our new partnership with the YMCA of Pulaski County, we now deliver more than 200 FREE art kits to children each month. That and we have kicked off our adult workshops with a new online format that allows artists in the region to continue to share their expertise. Be on the lookout for our January Second Saturday Art Café kits for children and an online watercolor workshop for painters from the age of 10 and up with local artist and board member, Toni Bowman.

 

We’re very glad to share that the Center has just completed its first-ever online auction that will help us continue providing classes and promoting artists in the New River Valley. We couldn’t get together for our annual Gala celebration, but our Auction Committee organized a fantastic online auction of more than 140 lots with fine art, home goods, jewelry, gift baskets, and other unique items that wrapped up Saturday, December 12. We hope you won your bid on your favorite item! Everyone who successfully bid on an item qualifies for 15 tickets in the Pulaski Shop Small $1,000 drawing, as does anyone who purchases an item from our online gift shop. Hurry! The Shop Small event ends this Wednesday, December 16.

We are very proud to share that one of the nation’s most popular living artists, P. Buckley Moss, has honored Pulaski and the Fine Arts Center with a new print of the historic Pulaski Courthouse. This historic building is a local icon that serves as the basis for this new print that is available for purchase, framed or unframed, in two sizes, for a limited time. Prints can be ordered through FAC Board Member Carol Smith (540-616-5217 or chsmith@pclibs.org) or on the artist’s website or at her Waynesboro or Blacksburg Galleries. The Fine Arts Center is planning a signing event with the artist on Saturday, January 23, in a responsibly distanced and safe environment.

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Again, we can’t thank you enough for keeping the arts alive in the New River Valley and supporting programs at the Fine Arts Center. There will be more to come in the new year! Until then, be well, stay safe, and we look forward to truly getting together with you in 2021.

John Ross