Virtual Fundraiser with Friends - November 16-20, 2020
Your support for Friends of the Arts helps to build community through the arts. Find some of our stories of success below, visit our Facebook page to see more, and make your donation today!
Supporting local artists and bringing art to the public
Arts for life scholarships
Rachel was a recipient of an Arts for Life Scholarship in June, funding the purchase of quilting materials to use at home in quarantine. Throughout the pandemic, quilting has been a creative and expressive outlet, providing not only a sense of relaxation and calm, but a sense of purpose—Rachel has made quilts as gifts for newborns, newlyweds, and family she’s unable to see in person.
“The grants I received from Friends of the Arts provided me with resources that helped to enhance my creativity. I was able to think beyond the logistics of whether I could afford to invest in quilting supplies and materials, and able to focus my energy on the beauty of the art itself.”
the first st. louis park art-walk in the park
Art-Walk in the Park was born out of a desire to connect community to local artists in a safe environment during a pandemic. We put out the call to our community for support and were overwhelmed with the response: more than 30 local artists and middle school youth from The Connection at Perspectives signed up to create paintings, members of the St. Louis Park Sunrise Rotary Club volunteered to cut plywood and rebar, Bridgewater Bank sponsored the cost of materials, and the City of St. Louis Park collaborated to find gorgeous trails to display the work. For six weeks, the display traveled the city and delighted passersby.
We heard from neighbors who struck up conversation with a stranger for the first time in months while observing the artwork, others who visited a beautiful park they hadn’t ever been to, seniors living at Park Shores who were pleasantly surprised on their routine daily walk around the pond, and so many others for whom this walk was a bright spot in a dark time. We are grateful for all who contributed and enjoyed this project.
The Gift of Music
Gordy’s old trumpet? Jack’s prized possession.
Gordy grew up playing the trumpet and has picked up his old instrument about once a year. Lately it has missed its annual dusting off, so Gordy decided to donate it to our Gift of Music program so it could be refurbished and given to a young music learner in need. Jack, a fifth grader starting in his school band this year, received a trumpet like the one Gordy donated. Take a look at Jack’s reaction to opening his new instrument. Given all the uncertainty and challenges brought on by COVID-19, we were especially excited to make this instrument upcycling possible this fall.
Since its inception, the Gift of Music program has cleaned, repaired and distributed more than 800 donated instruments to students in need.
Supporting the arts through a pandemic
In the early aftermath of the pandemic, as events were cancelled and uncertainty and fear filled our lives, we doubled down on our mission to build community through the arts, launching a series of online events and resources for our local arts community. Over the first two months of COVID-19, we hosted 8 weekly artist meet-ups, co-hosted and managed technology for 10 online art classes, hosted two Stay-at-Home Open Mic Poetry Jams, a feature poet reading, and an artist panel discussion.
Friends of the Arts is here for local artists and community through thick and thin.
expressing resilience
Middle school youth from Perspectives’ Connection program participated in this fall’s Art-Walk in the Park—each student received a plywood board, set of acrylic paints, and assorted paint brushes for the project. On top of the typical stress of being a teen, 2020 was a challenging year: a global pandemic, distance learning, the murder of George Floyd and ensuing uprising, election anxiety. Throughout it all, the youth have displayed tremendous resilience, which they expressed through their Art-Walk paintings in phrases like “We can do it,” “We all can,” and imagery like a rose growing through a cracked sidewalk.
Making art reduces stress—displaying it makes our values visible.