Carthage community supporters are the best! Our non-profit hometown artCentral continues to thrive in historic Hyde House with the ongoing assistance of visionaries—visionaries like the Carthage Community Foundation and Leggett & Platt, Incorporated. These philanthropically minded organizations have understood and responded to artCentral’s critical needs—the need for assistance to navigate through the economic challenges of the long pandemic months and, upon emerging from those months, the need to re-establish programming to enhance the cultural life of Carthage and our neighbors.
Yes, the Carthage Community Foundation (CCF) in affiliation with the Community Foundation of the Ozarks and Leggett & Platt, Incorporated have heard and met artCentral’s requests for help. The proof is on artCentral’s walls! Visit artCentral’s galleries and check out the walls of artCentral’s Facebook and website pages and you will know exactly what I mean!
During the months when the doors were closed, among the greatest challenges to keep artCentral thriving were maintaining daily operations, paying the bills and planning for reopening. With income reduced and many individuals and families feeling eager to help but financially challenged, the announcement of CCF’s spring grant round shone like a beacon of hope on the Hyde House horizon. Typically CCF grants are made for specific projects proposed by local non-profits. Thankfully, the spring grant round was opened to receive requests for stopgap funding to meet critical operational challenges brought on by the pandemic.
Preparing artCentral’s CCF grant application, submitting the application and waiting and wanting to hear good news to make our wishes come true was an act of faith. Often I like to think just such an act of faith is about believing “all is well and will be”, even before answers are given and help arrives. Thankfully, through CCF, our faith was answered. CCF awarded artCentral a spring grant for $2,500.00 specifically designated to assist with operations and urgent financial obligations.
During CCF’s awards picnic, as Betsy Flanigan, president of artCentral’s board of directors, and I went forward to accept the large facsimile of CCF’s $2,500.00 check for artCentral, I felt very grateful for this wish, this dream, this grant come true. In no way can I doubt artCentral’s good fortune. The proof is visible on the wall at the entrance to artCentral’s Membership Gallery where the replica of CCF’s $2,500.00 life-sustaining check is displayed for all of us to see and celebrate!
With operation obligations met and artCentral’s vivid green doors reopening, the Pottery House was reset and repurposed to create a second teaching classroom, but alas, for a second summer artCentral’s annual summer artCamp for youth had to be postponed due to pandemic generated lingering uncertainties. What to do? How could we possibly serve the youth of our community while honoring the CDC protocols set forth in artCentral’s recognition as an ArtSafe Space certified by the Missouri Arts Council?
Going on another act of faith, a calendar and curriculum were created for four Screen-Free 3rd Saturday mini artCamps. A budget was made; classes were designed; instructors were invited; and graphics and flyers were developed, printed and distributed. Board president Betsy Flanigan reached out to Leggett & Platt, Incorporated with a request for a grant to assist with classroom supplies and refreshments, teacher stipends, printing and postage, extra sanitation supplies and scholarships. As registrations began to come in, the response from Leggett & Platt also appeared in the mailbox as a check for a $1,000.00 grant—another dream come true!
On 3rd Saturday mornings in April, May and June aspiring young artists arrived to learn and explore and create as they made new friends under the guidance of Jane McCaulley and Alexandra Burnside who taught Friendly Glass Bugs, Pillow Pets, Zentangle Butterfly Wings and Colorful Glass Posies. The proof of the power of the grant given by Leggett & Platt can be seen in the smiles on the faces and creations in the hands of the artCampers to be found in the photos posted on artCentral’s online walls.
Still on the walls throughout the Hyde House galleries are the inspiring artworks of 42 artCentral member artists displaying their creations in the ANNUAL MEMBERSHIP EXHIBITION. This is a not-to-be-missed collection! Weekend Gallery Hours through Saturday, July 17, are Fridays and Saturdays, 12:00-5:00 p.m.
