Creative Exchange Newsletter Spring 2023

Arts Foundation of Cape Cod | The Creative Exchange

IN THIS ISSUE Julie Wake Evolving a 35-YearOld Nonprofit Page 2

Creative Exchange Page 3

Mark Adams Artist of the Year Cover & Page 4 And More!

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR'S MESSAGE EVOLVING A 35-YEAR-OLD ORGANIZATION At the beginning of 2020, the Arts Foundation was preparing to embark on a strategic planning process. Our team had great optimism as we prepared to build a roadmap for the future. And then Covid hit.

We shelved the process, focusing on addressing the immediate needs of the sector. We launched an emergency relief fund for artists who lost jobs and arts organizations which lost revenue due to the pandemic. We held a 3-day virtual festival, Home Is Where the Art Is, to raise seed money for the fund, bringing in local, regional, and national artists, including musician G. Love, filmmaker and actress Amy Jo Johnson, and author Lauren Wolk.

It was an uncertain, scary, and hectic time – wondering when pandemic restrictions would end; what in-person programming would look like when the arts eventually reopened; and what the lasting impacts would be to a sector that has historically been underfunded. Three years later, the Arts Foundation is finally having a chance to pause, and reflect on our 35-year-old history – including our ability to adapt and respond to a global pandemic – and to strategically look forward.

In January, we hired a Boston-based consultant, Strategy Matters. With their help, we are refining our mission, our vision, and identifying actionable goals that will inform our work and allow us to best serve the region’s arts sector – the arts organizations, artists, and individuals contributing to the creative economy. We are reevaluating our values to inform future decisions so we can evolve existing programs and create new ones, identify opportunities to grow, and find ways to welcome more in our community.

Julie Wake Executive Director Arts Foundation of Cape Cod

As we set the building blocks for our future aspirations, I hope you will join us on this journey in embracing and celebrating the arts and artists as an essential part of our lives and communities.

You can start by connecting with culture on Cape Cod — see live music, buy locally-made art, and share your experiences online and with your network of friends, family, and colleagues.

Consider becoming an AFCC Patron which provides exclusive behind-the-scenes arts experiences with like-minded individuals in our region. Connect with local artists and arts supporters at our monthly Creative Exchange meetups. Refer a friend to our AFCC Access program which gives underserved children the opportunity to participate in year-round extracurricular arts activities. And invest in our grant program to meet the growing needs of the sector.

This process has reminded me – and all of us at the Arts Foundation – that collectively, we all share a role in strengthening the arts on Cape Cod.

Julie

While strategic planning can be a painful process, this one has been inspiring.

In our initial meetings, one word continuously came up in describing the Arts Foundation — agility. I’m grateful to work for an organization with colleagues and a Board of Directors who believe in responding quickly and thoughtfully to what is happening in the world around us.

We pride ourselves on being adaptable in service to meeting the needs of our sector and our community.

Julie Wake with Brittney Nichols and Katie Stewart Dorfman of Strategy Matters.

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It sounds like the set up to a joke, but it’s the basis by which the Arts Foundation has designed its monthly Creative Exchange Meetups.

The majority have taken place in coffee shops around the Cape and always feature a local artist, and usually an arts activity, to engage participants. The first in-person one was held in February 2022 in which actress and realtor Melinda Gallant led nearly three dozen attendees in an improv exercise at Bread + Roses.

One year later, the Arts Foundation returned to the Hyannis coffee shop, which doubles as a bookstore, where musician Sam Holmstock led a similar group of creatives in a fun, PHOTO BY MARTIN R. SMITH interactive drumming exercise.

The month prior, writer John Bonanni inspired three dozen artists, arts leaders, and supporters of the arts to craft their own poems at Three Fins Coffee Roasters and Nové Yoga & Wellness Studio in Dennis. After, John spoke about the power of poetry in this way: “I think what’s really beautiful about it is that sense of curiosity, that sense of bewilderment and how you can kind of interact and be okay with not knowing everything.”

We’re grateful to all who have attended our monthly meetups for being curious and open to new forms of art. As artists, it is through this type of exploration that we’re able to tap into our creativity.

Arts Foundation Selects 12 Artists for Inaugural Capacity-Building Grant Program Twelve local artists, representing a range of creative disciplines, have been selected for the Arts Foundation of Cape Cod’s inaugural Capacity-Building Grant Program.

Through the program, the cohort are spending nine months identifying practical strategies to help them achieve financial sustainability to grow their practice.

From top and left to right Laura Shabott of Provincetown (artist, educator); Kim Moberg of Centerville (singer, songwriter, musician); Julian Loida of Falmouth (musician, composer, producer); André Lima of Brewster (dancer, martial artist, educator, artistic movement); Margaret Clancy of South Dennis (fiber artist); Dominique Pecce of Truro (printmaker); Melinda Nettles of Eastham (illustrator); Myra Kooy of Dennis (visual artist); Mwalim of Mashpee (musician, writer, storyteller); Natasha Frye of Mashpee (contemporary abstract painter); Paul Rizzo of Provincetown (visual artist); Sam Holmstock of Cotuit (drummer, musician).

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2023 Cohort

A drummer, a poet, and a painter walk into a coffee shop.

Artist of the Year Mark Adams Works to Make World a Better Place Before the pandemic hit three years ago, Truro’s Mark Adams was on the Greek island of Lesvos, volunteering at a refugee camp where Afghanis, Iraqis, and Africans had fled to in search of a better life.

“When you think about what I can do to make the world better, it is really satisfying – almost a selfish satisfaction – to hand somebody a bowl of food and sit with someone who is in need,” he said. In nearly all that he has done, whether it’s as a painter, cartographer, environmentalist, scientist, educator, or writer, Adams has worked towards that ideal – make the world a better place.

It is that trait which led the Arts Foundation to name Adams as its 2023 Artist of the Year. “We launched this award last year to honor a Cape-based artist whose work inspires change and Mark embodies that not only in his paintings, maps, and drawings, but in the way he approaches life,” said Arts Foundation Executive Director Julie Wake. “He is the perfect choice for this recognition because he continuously demonstrates the impact art can have in connecting us to the world around us. And his work reminds us of our shared responsibility in protecting the natural environment, both for today and for future generations.”

Adams’s first reaction when chosen for this distinction was to think not of himself, but how he could help others. “I feel like I’ve been handed an opportunity to speak for a lot of other artists on the Cape,” he said.

“The Arts Foundation has been amazing in fostering the careers of artists and recognizing a diverse range of artists, and I feel like I need to help further that goal.

While I’m happy to talk about my work, I want to talk about it in the larger context about what art means and what art can do in a place like Cape Cod.”

Adams, who is represented by The Schoolhouse Gallery in Provincetown, is in the midst of creating a piece of art, that will be unveiled at the end of April at the Cultural Center of Cape Cod and which will be auctioned off at the Arts Foundation’s Prelude to Summer gala on June 1st, that is a component of a larger concept he is currently calling “A Drop in the Ocean.” He plans on making the more expansive artwork an interactive piece that the public will be able to “walk into,” he said. “It will be representative of both the vulnerability of the ocean and also the visceral experience of being part of a whole system of life and energy.”

Along with the unveiling and the June gala, the Arts Foundation is planning a series of events, including an opportunity to meet Adams and view his latest piece at an open house at The Schoolhouse Gallery on May 26th, related to his selection as its Artist of the Year.

“We’re looking forward to not only celebrating Mark and his artwork this year, but learning from him how each of us can use our time and talents to make a positive mark on the world around us,” said Wake.

It’s our favorite night of the year!

LIVE auction AND one-of-a-kind trips and experiences! Secure your spot today.

SPRING 2023 NEWSLETTER | PAGE 4

LOCAL FILM FESTIVALS "What the film festival does best, is bring people together to create a community and have a shared experience.”

Perhaps no sector of the arts has faced more pandemic-related challenges than the film industry. Covid-19 forced the temporary closing of movie theaters which has been compounded by the rise of streaming services and the continued hesitancy of some to return to crowded indoor spaces.

To help address these challenges, the Arts Foundation provided the Woods Hole Film Festival with a $10,000 grant funded through the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA). That is on top of a $2,500 grant it received in 2021 along with another $3,500 grant during this most recent round of Arts Foundation funding which is going towards the festival’s Filmmaker in Residence Program.

Admittedly, these are challenging times for the festival which is why the Arts Foundation’s support has been so critical. “We’re working to get back to where we were before the pandemic,” film festival Executive Director Judy Laster said.

She was particularly grateful for the NEA funding which was the first time her organization had ever received a grant from the federal agency. “When you apply for that funding at the national level, there are so many more applicants,” Laster said. “Having the funding come to a more local distribution source was really important because we’re a known commodity to the Arts Foundation. They understand local applicants in a way a national organization doesn’t.”

ARTS FOUNDATION VOTED REGIONAL ARTS AGENCY OF CAPE COD

Help the Arts Foundation Meet Its Match We need your help to raise the $100,000 required to receive the NEA grant. Contact Director of Development Amy Tuttle at atuttle@artsfoundation.org.

What the film festival does best, Laster said, “is bring people together to create a community and have a shared experience.” Connection is something audiences have been craving, especially after the pandemic forced us into isolation.

While Laster was appreciative of the Arts Foundation’s funding, she said more support for the arts is needed, especially for something as impactful as film which “can change lives in a good way.

“Everybody talks about how the arts and culture sector is so important to the economy of the Cape, but at the same time when you actually break down the numbers for public support for arts and culture, it is miniscule,” Laster continued. “It is amazing the sector has the people that do what we do. The foundation of it has to change. It can’t continue to be so difficult for people to do it or we won’t be able to.”

With the Barnstable County Commissioners approving the regional designation in March, the Arts Foundation joins more than 4,500 local arts agencies (LAA) throughout the country that are focused on supporting and sustaining their community’s arts sectors. It will allow the Arts Foundation to regrant public sector dollars, including National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) funding.

In February, the Arts Foundation applied for a $108,000 NEA grant.

Of that, the Arts Foundation would subgrant out $100,000 and match that amount, distributing a total of $200,000 for arts projects in the region.

If successful in obtaining the grant, it would mark the second time in the past two years that the Arts Foundation has received NEA funding. It received a $150,000 NEA award, distributing $139,000 of those funds in September of last year to 14 arts nonprofits to assist in their Covid-19 recovery.

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CREATING ACCESS TO THE ARTS

"Art is a gateway into understanding yourself as a human being."

Amanda* grew up in a home where arts were a priority. So when she and her husband David* began raising their own children, they wanted them to have similar experiences.

“Art is a gateway into understanding yourself as a human being,” Amanda said.

“Being creative and artistic opens up a whole new world. …When you’re doing something creative you feel good about yourself because you’re tapped into your creativity and you’re being positive with your life. Art just brings joy into your life.”

But four years ago, Amanda and Dave couldn’t afford it. They were struggling financially after Amanda suffered an injury and was unable to work. That loss of income meant extracurricular arts activities for their oldest daughter Maria* wasn’t a possibility. *The names in this story have been changed to protect their identity.

Support AFCC Access!

In the summer of 2019, the couple applied to AFCC Access with the hopes their daughter could enroll in Cape Cod Theatre Company’s Creative Movement workshop. “It was a very easy process and went very smoothly,” Amanda said.

These types of requests are what AFCC Access was intended to fund. In the summer of 2019, Maria attended a month-long class at the Harwich nonprofit.

“We were thrilled the Arts Foundation gave her such a great opportunity to get involved in theater,” her mother said. “She gained lots of confidence and there was lots of fun movement and dancing. Right now, she has her own video camera and makes videos at home.”

Now in third grade, Maria is a confident speaker. She likes to write stories. And she enjoys performing.

It was especially difficult for Maria who wanted to enroll in theater classes.

It’s a financial barrier that far too many families face on Cape Cod where high costs of living and lack of housing pose significant challenges to accessing the arts.

Understanding these difficulties, the Arts Foundation launched AFCC Access in 2018 to assist parents like Amanda and David and to support students like Maria.

While it’s too early to tell whether Maria has a future in the theater, her mother says she is itching to take another acting class.

For kids, these types of classes “deepen their imagination for them to explore,” Amanda said. “The arts opens so many doors for them.”

These are doors that should be open for all children, regardless of income. Thanks to AFCC Access, they are.

Students Contemplate Meaning of Peace Through Art Since 1995, Cape Cod Veterans for Peace has organized an annual poetry contest, encouraging children and adults to creatively express their thoughts about the concept of peace.

For much of that time, the Arts Foundation has

supported the contest through its annual grant giving which included $500 in funding for the 27th iteration last year. A total of 435 poems were submitted, representing 29 schools with 51 teachers guiding the students in the writing exercise.

The contest has served as but this assignment has an invaluable opportunity proven how resilient and for students to turn to art hopeful the minds of our in the midst of the children remain. As pandemic, political turmoil, always, I am grateful to racial tension in the United Veterans for Peace for States, and the war in allowing the good people of Ukraine. As one sixth Cape Cod to spend some grade teacher wrote, “It has time contemplating the been an exceptionally meaning of peace and the challenging school year, importance of creating art.”

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WHY WE GIVE Siroonians Proudly Give Back to Cape Cod and Arts The year 1997 was a seminal one for Anne-Marie and Gregory Siroonian. It’s when they moved to the Cape and when Gregory launched RESCOM Architectural, Inc. in Bourne.

Fast forward 26 years later and the couple have not only achieved success, they’ve found a place they proudly call home, raising a family that includes their daughters Gabrielle and Donia, and son Gregory. “We really consider Cape Cod our community,” said AnneMarie. “It’s where we chose to raise our children and where they’ve been given everything from the educational to the social, emotional, and extracurricular vocations. We’ve all spent a lot of time being a part of the Cape Cod community and it’s given us wonderful, wonderful memories.”

Over the years, the Siroonians have returned the favor by strengthening the community through their support of nonprofits like the Arts Foundation.

The Arts Foundation has become one of the three main pillars of their giving; Cape Cod Healthcare and the Community Health Center of Cape Cod are the others. Anne-Marie and Gregory were introduced to the Arts Foundation after attending our Prelude to Summer in June 2019. From there, they’ve become loyal Arts Foundation supporters with RESCOM serving as a Gold Business Patron over the past four years.

Please donate today to help ensure a strong and vibrant future for the arts on Cape Cod.

“We got invited to the gala and we realized this was an organization we wanted to support,” Gregory said.

“I see the arts as so important for any field.”

It’s one of the many reasons the pair are committed to the Arts Foundation. “As we look at the things we do give to, we’re looking at what they are doing and that we believe in it,” Anne-Marie said. “When we make a donation, we want to make sure it is going to something of value and is going to help people.”

The breadth of people the Arts Foundation helps – from visual artists, potters and musicians to children to arts organizations – is all the more impressive for the Siroonians. “They really help a wide range of individuals and groups,” Anne-Marie said.

It is through their support that the Arts Foundation is able to make such an impact. As the couple, who have been married for 31 years, continue to grow their business – Gregory is its principal while Anne-Marie is its accounting and billing specialist – they occasionally pause to reflect on how much RESCOM has evolved from its infancy when it only had one residential client on the Cape.

Today, it is a full-service architectural firm with a staff of six that oversees an average of 50 commercial, residential, and medical building projects at any one time. RESCOM’s growth has allowed the Siroonians to deepen their connection to the Cape through their charitable giving. “One of the things we wanted to do, especially as parents, was to be a part of the community and that was not just about having a residence here, but getting involved when the opportunity knocked,” Anne-Marie said. “The community is a large part of our success we have today so giving back is very important to us.”

“When we make a donation, we want to make sure it is going to something of value and is going to help people.”

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From our team to yours, thank you for supporting the arts!