MAH Case for Support 2021

2021 The MAH at 25 A Case for Support

Contents Who We Are....................................................................... 02 History.....................................................................................04 Who We Serve.................................................................06 What We Believe.......................................................... 08 What We Do........................................................................ 10 Core Narratives ...............................................................13 Milestones & Highlights.......................................... 14 What Sets Us Apart................................................... 20 Financial Health.............................................................. 27 Today’s MAH...................................................................... 28 Why Support Us?.......................................................... 33 How to Engage................................................................. 34 Leadership........................................................................... 36 Partnerships...................................................................... 37

SANTA CRUZ MUSEUM OF ART & HISTORY

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Who We Are The Santa Cruz Museum of Art & History (MAH) is a thriving community gathering place serving more than 130,000 people annually through rotating art and history exhibitions, visual and performing artworks, public festivals, education and outreach programs, and cultural celebrations in collaboration with our many partners.

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We maintain a permanent collection

In other gallery spaces, the MAH features

of regionally significant art and artifacts,

cross-disciplinary exhibitions of

a research library, historical archive, and

contemporary artwork curated around

historic sites including the Evergreen

themes important to the local community.

Cemetery, Octagon Building, and

We strive for a balance between

Davenport Jail. More than 2,000 K-12

participatory, community-generated

students visit the museum annually to

content and professionally curated

learn about art and history.

exhibitions featuring work from regional,

At the MAH, local historians join community members on volunteer committees to preserve and promote Santa Cruz County history, producing two books per year and an online journal. We collect and highlight unheard stories from

national, and world-renowned artists. We are currently hard at work on our museum without walls concept to produce a series of public events, site-specific installations, and social interventions in outdoor spaces throughout the county.

the many people who made Santa Cruz—

With support from our collaborators and

such as farmworkers and fishermen, the

new partnerships yet to be formed, we

Amah Mutsun Tribe, and immigrants from

look forward to upholding our reputation

around the world—in our History Gallery

as one of the most creative and forward-

and podcast. We also offer fellowship

thinking community museums in the country,

opportunities and an annual “Distinguished

while remaining true to our roots and the

Historian” award.

community whose vision we represent.

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History As we usher in 2021 we are proud to celebrate 25 years since the Santa Cruz Museum of Art & History officially came into existence—the result of the 1996 merging of the Santa Cruz Historical Society (founded in 1954) and the Art Museum of Santa Cruz County (founded in 1981).

CASE FOR SUPPORT 2021

In fact, our story dates back even further to

The year 2020 presented challenges like never

the mid-1980’s, when the two organizations

before, between the COVID pandemic and

joined forces to build a center for art, history,

California wildfires. It has also been a year of

and community in downtown Santa Cruz. With

deep reflection on our values as a society, in

support from the McPherson family, local

terms of diversity, equity, and the charged

donations, and a federal grant following the

political landscape. We recognize that this is a

1989 Loma Prieta earthquake, the ribbon was

time of extraordinary change, and hope to

cut on the new McPherson Center in 1993 before

continue to serve as a resource for our community

the groups officially merged in 1996 to form the

as we work together to heal from trauma and

Museum of Art and History at the McPherson

chart our course in an uncertain future.

Center, or the MAH as we are known today.

During the extended closures of the past year,

Among our major accomplishments of the

we took the time to look inward, to assess our

past decade have been to unite a wide

strengths, and to plan our next steps. We have

spectrum of partners around the

big plans, and a bold new vision for the future.

“participatory museum” concept, in which

We see our 25th anniversary as a turning

community members co-create exhibitions

point, ushering in a new era for the MAH and

about important issues. We also introduced

the community we serve. We hope you will

Abbott Square Market—a food and beverage

join us in the journey ahead.

marketplace on the ground floor of the former county jail—and revitalized Abbott Square itself into a vibrant public plaza that serves as a hub for year-round creative happenings.

Now, moving forward under the leadership of executive director Robb Woulfe, we will carry the MAH’s strong outreach tradition forward, while ensuring that our exhibitions and programming are not only relevant, responsive to, and representative of our diverse community, but also of the highest artistic merit. We will do this by producing and cultivating meaningful, place-based work that animates and enlivens the MAH as well as public spaces throughout Santa Cruz County.

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Who We Serve 06

The MAH serves all who live, work, and play in broader Santa Cruz County, irrespective of age, income, culture, creed, gender, or language. We are a community museum dedicated to serving our community, no matter who you are or what you believe.

In recent years we have observed that some people are less likely to visit the museum than others. Our guests should reflect the diversity of the county, and so we have made and continue to make special efforts to reach out to and offer relevant programming to empower and engage specific groups, including racial/ ethnic minorities, low-wage laborers, DREAMers, socially-isolated senior citizens, foster and LGBTQ+ youth, and Salinas Valley farmworkers. Undertaken in a spirit of inclusiveness and bridgebuilding, we believe this helps to grow a stronger and more connected community, in keeping with our mission.

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Still, we feel it is important to emphasize that

and history, we offer access points and

the MAH is for everyone—whether you are a

educational materials, in both English and

history buff, art aficionado, or all-around curious

Spanish, to help you understand and appreciate

person. We are for students of all ages,

all that the MAH has to offer.

teachers and professors, parents and families, storytellers and listeners, performers, poets, and spectators—and every other cultural enthusiast or creative individual we did not mention. We serve visitors, new residents, and those who have called Santa Cruz County home for generations. We also strive to benefit local artists through commission opportunities as well as exposure and exchange with regional, national, and international artists. We are here as a resource for our collaborators and partnering institutions, whether that takes the form of co-presentations or a simple offer to

An underlying tenet of MAH programming is accessibility, an ethos reflected in the numerous free events, pay-what-you-can admission, affordable ticket pricing policy, membership discounts, and broad geographic reach. Moving forward, we hope to expand our sphere of influence even further through a series of pop-up installations and cultural experiences beyond our downtown nucleus. Our aim is to reach people wherever they may be, inspiring wonder and delight in unexpected spaces throughout the community.

use our space. For those who are new to art

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What We Believe We believe art and history have the power to captivate and delight, to heal and inspire, to shed light on who we are and who we aspire to be. Through them, we can forge unexpected connections, and strengthen our community.

We believe that every person has a right to engage with creative and educational experiences on their level, no matter who they are—from our most dedicated museum visitor to the person who takes part in a pop-up experience from the

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MAH in their own neighborhood.

We believe the MAH should be a welcoming, comfortable space. Every decision we make is guided by that principle, and we continue to learn, grow, and evolve to make sure it is true for all people.

We believe there should be something to inspire each and every one of you— whether you have chosen to take on the mantle of social justice, hope to learn about regional history, or simply appreciate a transformative piece of art. This is our MAH, and it should be for all of us.

We believe in collaboration as a core operating tenet. Together with our partners, collaborators, donors, and volunteers, we can produce exhibitions and experiences that are relevant and enlightening for a broad spectrum of our diverse community.

Our vision for the future is inclusive, accessible, meaningful, and exciting. We believe it is something we can all get behind, and that the roadmap we have developed will get us there.

We believe that together we can make this vision a reality.

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What We Do

The MAH offers a wide array of programs and activities for the community. To clarify and guide our programming moving forward, we developed the following framework

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Exhibitions

Limited Series

Now offered online and onsite, our rotating

This is our program of ticketed lectures,

exhibitions feature commissioned, co-created,

concerts, and performances featuring

and presented works by local, national,

homegrown and visiting talent, which we

and international artists, as well as artwork

present in partnership with local collaborators.

and objects from our collection. Many are collaborations between the MAH and the community; others are organized by our visionary team of curators.

Biennial Festivals

Community Celebrations The MAH is proud to have a large and diverse group of partners who spearhead this series of events and activities celebrating local culture, heritage, and tradition.

Our new festivals showcase the MAH as a museum without walls through large-scale sculptures, site-specific installations, social interventions, and live performances outdoors and in. These are curated around established themes with the aim of uniting community through a shared sense of wonder and awe.

Education Program Our robust education program includes a variety of learning opportunities—from field trips, artist talks, guided tours, art camps, and hands-on classes to virtual learning—designed to enhance understanding of our exhibitions among all audiences, from school groups to visiting guests.

Outreach Program We also offer engagement opportunities beyond the physical space of the MAH that include pop-up events, mobile exhibitions, community speaker programs, and other activities both offsite and online.

Special Events These are our fundraisers and “friend-raisers” that we host throughout the year as a way to raise dollars and awareness for the MAH.

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Core Narratives Because so much of our work is developed through the lens of community and public benefit, we have identified core issues that are important to local citizens as a way to help us consciously embrace how art and history can integrate with and impact community life.

These areas of focus emphasize our sense of place, local identity, and collective history.

Also seen as our spheres of impact, they help guide how programs and initiatives at the MAH are developed, curated, and organized, creating opportunities for cultural practitioners to collaborate, inspire, and elicit creative solutions that can result in deep and lasting change.

They include: • Health & Wellness: Mental health, holistic healing, art and wilderness therapy. Access to care, building community, focusing on the needs of our most vulnerable. Connecting communities and resources.

• Environmental Justice & Creative Ecologies: Exploring the places where culture and environment intersect—sea level rise, natural resources, climate change, and equity.

Interdisciplinary strategies to negotiate environmental issues.

• Memory & Place: Looking back to look forward. Heritage, culture, and tradition.

Movement, migration, and place. Institutional and collective memory. Storytelling.

• Regenerative Design & Cultural Activism: Creation over consumption. Biomimicry, working with and through the land. Art that gives back—a tool for restoration, renewal, or revitalization. Advocating for long term public interest.

• Joy & Beauty: Experiences that provide space to pause and imagine. Relief, reflection, escape. Stillness. Uncanniness. Consideration of the unknown. Inspiring wonder and awe.

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Milestones & Highlights A 25th anniversary is no small achievement, and for us it is a great opportunity to reflect on our rich and storied history. Here are some of the key events that helped to shape the MAH into the institution we are today:

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1954 - The Santa Cruz Historical Society

Society to create the Santa Cruz County

is founded.

Historical Trust.

1972 - The Santa Cruz County Historical

1986 - Exhibition highlight: David

Museum opens at the renovated Octagon

Hockney, lithographs

Building at corner of Front and Cooper Streets.

1988 - Santa Cruz County gives the former jail building at 725 Front Street

1981 - The Art Museum of Santa Cruz

to the Historical Trust and Art Museum

County is founded, and Robert

for a future downtown cultural center.

MacDonald is appointed as the first

A capital campaign commences to fund

director in 1982. The museum holds

renovations.

exhibits at the downtown Santa Cruz Public Library and other venues.

1989 - The Loma Prieta earthquake levels much of downtown Santa Cruz, but the

1983 - Exhibition highlight: Stephen De

concrete jail building is not damaged.

Staebler: An Exhibition of Recent Bronzes

Planning resumes for the cultural center,

1986 - The Friends of the Octagon unite with the Santa Cruz County Society for

now re-envisioned as a new structure next to the old jail.

Historical Preservation to form the

1990 - Exhibition highlight: Designs for

Octagon Historical Trust, which then

Independent Living, a MoMA traveling

merges with the Santa Cruz Historical

exhibition

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Milestones & Highlights (Cont’d)

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1990 - Federal and state money becomes

1997 - Exhibition highlight: Time and Place:

available for the new structure. Fundraising

Fifty Years of Santa Cruz Studio Ceramics

resumes led by a generous gift from the McPherson family along with donations from many local supporters.

1992 - The groundbreaking ceremony is held for the new McPherson Center for Art & History at 705 Front Street.

1993 - The historic Davenport Jail opens as a museum, operated by the Historical Trust.

1993 - The Art Museum of Santa Cruz

1998 - Exhibition highlight: Belle Yang: A Chinese-American Odyssey 1999 - Exhibition highlight: When Borders Migrate 2000 - Exhibition highlight: Happy Birthday, Santa Cruz County! Celebrating 150 Years 2001 - Exhibition highlight: Chinatown Dreams: The Photographs of George Lee

County and the History Museum of Santa

2002 - Exhibition highlight: Simply Scene:

Cruz County, operated by the Historical

The California Paintings of Herman Struck

Trust, move into their shared space at the McPherson Center.

2002 - Publication Highlight: Santa Cruz

1993 - Exhibition highlight: Paper Trails:

gathering of voices: the native peoples of

County History Journal Number 5: A

Abstract Expressionist Prints

the Central California Coast

1994 - Exhibition highlight: Myth and

2003 - Paul Figueroa is appointed director.

Magic: Oaxaca Past and Present 1994 - The first Santa Cruz County History Journal is published.

1995 - Exhibition highlight: Margaret Rinkovsky: The Odyssey Landscapes

2003 - Exhibition highlight: El Rio/The River: Artist’s Impressions 2004 - Exhibition highlight: Another Side of Ansel Adams: Santa Cruz and Beyond

Reconsidered

2005 - Exhibition highlight: The True

1996 - The two museums merge into one

Selected Works from the di Rosa

organization as the Museum of Art and History at the McPherson Center, or “the

Artist is an Amazing Luminous Fountain: Preserve of Art & Nature

MAH” for short.

2005 - Publication highlight: The

1996 - Chuck Hilger is appointed the first

Architecture by John Leighton Chase

director of the MAH, having previously served as director of the Art Museum

Sidewalk Companion to Santa Cruz

2006 - Exhibition highlight: Cuentos y

of Santa Cruz County since 1985.

Encuentros, paintings by Ray Martín Abeyta

1996 - Exhibition highlight: Howard

2007 - Exhibition highlight: Close to the

Ikemoto: Chi/A Family Divided

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Flame: In the Spirit of Burning Man

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Milestones & Highlights (Cont’d)

2008 - Exhibition highlight: Around the Kitchen Table, art and artifacts from the permanent collection

2016 - Exhibition highlight: Screaming Hand 2016 - The James Irvine Foundation awards the museum a transformative

2008 - The Evergreen Cemetery

grant of $1.1 million to focus on

Preservation Ad Hoc Committee is

diversifying community participation.

established to support the stewardship of the historical site.

2017 - A renovated Abbott Square opens on the museum’s doorstep, replete with

2009 - Exhibition highlight: Eduardo

commissioned artworks, gardens, public

Carrillo: Within a Cultural Context

seating, and a new food hall.

2010 - Exhibition highlight: Surf City

2017 - Exhibition highlight: Lost Childhoods:

Santa Cruz: A Wave of Inspiration

Voices of Santa Cruz County Foster Youth

2011 - Nina Simon is appointed director.

2018 - Exhibition highlight: California’s

2011 - Exhibition highlight: Rydell Visual Art Fellows 2012 - The organization changes its name to the Santa Cruz Museum of Art & History.

2012 - Exhibition highlight: Joan Brown:

Wild Edge: Prints by Tom Killion 2018 - Publication highlight: Santa Cruz County History Journal Number 9: LandScapes 2019 - Exhibition highlight: We’re Still Here: Stories of Seniors and Social Isolation

Meditations on Love

2020 - Robb Woulfe is appointed director.

2013 - Exhibition highlight: Santa Cruz

2020 - Exhibition highlight: Queer Santa

is in the Heart

Cruz opens as the MAH’s first virtual

2014 - Publication highlight: Santa Cruz

exhibition.

County History Journal Number 7:

2021 - The MAH celebrates its 25th

Redwood logging and conservation in the

anniversary since the two museums

Santa Cruz Mountains: a split history

merged in 1996.

2014 - A Chinese memorial gate is

2021 - Exhibition highlight: In These

installed at Evergreen Cemetery to honor

Uncertain Times, a project about the

Santa Cruz’s early Chinese immigrants.

creative resilience of Santa Cruz County’s

2014 - Exhibition highlight: Making It: Chicano Artists from the Mexican Museum Collection 2015 - Exhibition highlight: Princes of Surf

response to COVID-19 and the systemic injustices it has revealed 2021 - Exhibition highlight: RedBall Santa Cruz by Kurt Perschke

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What Sets Us Apart Eclecticism The MAH is one of a kind, embracing all

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that is wild, weird, and wonderful. It’s what keeps our visitors coming back, wondering what we will come up with next.

In that way we are a reflection of Santa Cruz County, for our community is not just one thing—it’s academic, and full of outdoor

We approach our work with a sense of humor, perspective, and balance, grounded in deep, thoughtful reflection on what our community needs and wants. We love what we do and pour ourselves into it. We seek out knowledge and consider diverse views, then tackle our work from an informed place with an open mind and adventurous spirit.

adventure seekers. It is hard-working,

The result is, well, the MAH—that homey,

multilingual, quirky, and fun-loving. The

boundary-pushing, happy, energized space

people of Santa Cruz are concerned with

that animates the heart of downtown

social justice and environmental equity. We are forward-thinking, fans of contemporary art, and lifelong learners fascinated by how our past informs our present.

The MAH interprets art and history through many lenses. We commission, co-create, and present projects that employ visual art, performance, film, digital media, and social practice to transform public space, both indoors and out.

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Santa Cruz, where people intersect, connect, and thrive. Where you can grab a coffee, meet up with friends for happy hour, check out an exhibition, or get creative yourself.

Where you can read books in Spanish, listen to a local band, learn about our shared history, or contemplate a perspectiveshifting work of art.

We measure our success by our ability to meet each and every one of our guests— whether in time, place, or thought.

Transcendent Art & History The MAH’s innovative approach juxtaposes contemporary art and culture with historic preservation—not only highlighting present narratives, but also past events and views from which they evolved or diverged. Our exhibitions generally feature creative interpretations alongside historic artifacts and ephemera, in a way that deepens understanding of both and serves as a springboard for further reflection.

An example is our upcoming exhibition, In These Uncertain Times, which will place

world has to offer, in order to provide enlightening experiences and inspiring spaces here in our own community.

Moving forward, we have been planning additional ways to expand and connect with our world community—by holding panel discussions with thought-leaders, curating work by renowned national and international artists, and joining conversations about the state of art and humanities today.

All of our work is grounded in culture and

original, community-sourced artwork about

creativity. We embrace how art and history can

the COVID-19 pandemic within the historical

integrate with and impact community life, by

context of the 1918 influenza in Santa Cruz.

strengthening our sense of place, local identity,

The MAH is very much about social and

and collective history.

ecological justice—concerns that are reflected in our core narratives, and much of

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our programming. To curate exhibitions around important issues, we reach out to the people who know about or are affected by them.

We invite original art and stories as a way to acknowledge, honor, and amplify the voices of those less often heard. These co-created exhibitions are at the heart of the “participatory museum” that the MAH famously pioneered over the last decade. Examples include three exhibitions currently underway or in planning: Lost & Found: The CZU Lightning Complex Fire Project; Mind-Full-Ness: Mental Health in Santa Cruz County; and an Indigenous community garden project with the Amah Mutsun Tribal Band.

The MAH also recognizes that aesthetic experience wields a tremendous power to inspire and delight in and of itself, and does not always need to be issue-driven or require a call to action. Thus we also embrace “art for the sake of art,” seeking out the most exciting, interesting, thoughtful projects the global art SANTA CRUZ MUSEUM OF ART & HISTORY

Self-Reflection At the MAH we understand that self-reflection is a crucial step towards growing, and we embrace it wholeheartedly. By reflecting on our successes and failures, we make sure to move forward in ways that will benefit our community, even as our community changes.

We also know that self-reflection is useless in a vacuum, so we do our best to listen to the community we serve. We use surveys, interviews, and first-hand observations to ensure our efforts are having their intended effects, and that our guests have meaningful experiences. We continue to fine-tune what we do using what we learn from you, our board, our partners, and staff.

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The MAH recently launched a strategic planning process. Together with our stakeholders, we are brainstorming strategies, goals, and benchmarks by which to assess our progress. This plan will guide us moving forward. Each year we will reflect on what worked and what we need to do better, then use what we learn to refine our plan for the coming year.

We are still learning. We know we have room to improve, and we welcome your feedback.

In short, we are committed to serving our diverse community, and to changing and growing along with it. We will do that by embracing a culture of openness, listening to our guests, reflecting on our progress, and being willing to evolve. In this way we remain relevant to all who live in and visit Santa Cruz County, now and in the future.

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Museum without Walls

Today, we are excited to take our museum

In the 1980’s, our founders used the phrase

throughout broader Santa Cruz County

“museum without walls” to describe what would later become the MAH. At the time it was a temporary solution to the challenge of finding a permanent home, which at one point took the form of a mobile “Art Box” until the museum opened at its present location in 1993. That spirit of a museum without walls still thrives today, albeit in various forms.

In a physical sense, Abbott Square was a major and momentous step out into the community, bringing experiences of art and culture into a comfortable public space while at the same time revitalizing our downtown center into a hub of activity. Our outdoor square and food market not only spark opportunities for

without walls into unexpected public spaces through a series of public sculptures, pop-up experiences, historical interpretations, and other activations. By doing so we will meet people wherever they are, especially those who don’t make it downtown regularly. We will harness the power of art, history, and creativity to promote place identity, community livability, and civic engagement— all vital to our creative economy.

The MAH is without walls in another sense too, in that we take great pains to make sure that all of our spaces are welcoming and inclusive for all people, no matter who you are or what you believe.

interaction, but also infuse vibrancy and economic vitality into Santa Cruz by drawing locals and visitors to our downtown center.

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Community Collaboration The MAH has long worked to unite community, engaging a broad spectrum of individuals, groups, and organizations, and sometimes boasting as many as 2,000 partners on a project. Collaboration is fundamental to what we do.

We are humbled and honored to have such a committed group of partners. Our work would not be possible without your support. To the individual donors, volunteers, collaborators, philanthropic organizations, state and federal agencies, and private funders—we thank you.

We look forward to strengthening and growing our current partnerships through deep, meaningful collaborations. We also hope to establish new partnerships, and to

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reconnect with past partners with whom we’ve not engaged recently.

We are proud of the MAH—not only of where we are now, but of our colorful, grassroots past, and our promising future.

We are eager to hear what you think, and to share our plans with you. Our hope is that you will be as excited as we are to build a new future together.

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Financial Health

The MAH has been working diligently to diversify our funding portfolio and expand our base of support, even as the extended closures from COVID-19 take their toll on the global cultural sector.

In 2020, the financial impact of the pandemic

realistic balance between earned and

along with other funding shortfalls resulted

contributed revenue, shoring up cash flow,

in a deficit of approximately $365,000 in

expanding our resources, and broadening

lost or deferred revenue. We anticipate

our base of support.

losses to continue into 2021, but hopefully at a decreased rate.

Our efforts toward resource development

We took and continue to take actions

supporters and introducing new revenue

designed to ensure financial sustainability

streams, with particular attention to

now and in the future. In the short term,

opportunities for income growth that

we reduced staff numbers and have been

are aligned with our programs and artistic

actively pursuing relief funding opportunities

development.

including grants, small business loans, and assistance programs focused on capacity-

include re-engaging past donors and

Although our financial continuity has been

building, resilience, and recovery.

challenged—both through the devaluation

For the long term, we have been working

liquidity—we remain optimistic, hopeful,

to strengthen our business model with

and committed to serving our community.

of assets and the deterioration of

financial strategies that include striking a

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Today’s MAH It is hard to believe 25 years have passed since two forwardthinking community organizations joined forces to promote art and history in Santa Cruz County.

We are proud to celebrate our 25th anniversary with you, and to carry forth what our forebears started—a longstanding tradition of enriching the Santa Cruz community with a deep understanding of our shared past, an appreciation for arts and culture, and collaborations around issues that matter.

As we look forward to the bright future that awaits us, we are proud and honored to ground our efforts in the work that came before, while conceiving of new ways to advance our mission in the current era. Over the past year we have been hard at work on several initiatives we are confident will do just that. Please enjoy a snapshot of what you can look forward to from today’s MAH:

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• We will redefine the museum experience

collection of creative and cultural experiences

by bursting the bounds of traditional

that meets our community wherever they

gallery walls into our shared public spaces.

may be, whether indoors, outdoors, offsite,

Building on our strong tradition of

or online.

engagement and co-creation, where all members of our diverse community are embraced as active contributors to the museum, we now focus that energy on places new and familiar to ignite shared experiences and unexpected connections throughout Santa Cruz County. We will do this in part through our new, rotating series of activations. Examples include our current exhibition in the Secret Garden, Community is Collective Care, with artist Irene Juárez O’Connell, and the upcoming RedBall Project

by Kurt Perschke, which will travel to several open-air locations throughout the county.

• We will introduce a series of biennial

• We will continue to offer beloved programs and exhibitions—from our participatory series on social impact issues, Día de Muertos celebration, partner-driven events, and school field trips to bilingual family programming.

Supporting these are content-aligned activities and opportunities designed to help forge thematic connections that enhance contextual interpretation and elevate the work. New exhibitions and installations by artists and collaborators from around the globe will inspire, cross-pollinate, and increase exposure to our thriving creative community, while programs like a copresented speaker series, summer music

festivals featuring innovative, immersive,

and film events, and family days at the MAH

and place-inspired works by local, national,

enrich our robust slate of offerings. We

and international artists. Held in outdoor

invite cultural partners to use our facilities

sites around the MAH and the county, these

as a resource to further their own missions,

admission-free events—to include a

and offer art and history outreach programs

reimagined light festival and a new, outdoor

offsite in the community.

multidisciplinary spectacle of visual, performing, and media arts—will inspire wonder and delight while serving as catalysts for community interaction.

• We will expand access to all community members via new admission policies, and through our ongoing virtual MAH exhibitions, screenings, concerts, activities, and digital gallery. Examples include Queer Santa Cruz, which launched as a virtual exhibition earlier this year, and a series of small group gettogethers in Abbott Square and Evergreen Cemetery. Our hope is that the MAH becomes more than a place you go—but a

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In these ways we ensure that the MAH offers something for everyone—from those who find their way to Abbott Square for food, drink, and creative happenings; to those who enter the exciting world of art and history that is the MAH itself; to those who don’t get downtown often but still appreciate their world transformed by public art, or the enlightenment of an educational experience. We believe the MAH can be all of those things—at once a space to communicate needs, perspectives, and ideals as it is a place to be awestruck by an exceptional work of art or insightful revelation about our past.

The MAH has been an industry leader, distinguished by our trailblazing programs

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and interdisciplinary approach to community building. Together we continue and expand upon that tradition through meaningful, place-based work that animates and enlivens Santa Cruz County, moving the MAH forward in a way that is relevant and responsive to our diverse community while upholding and furthering our reputation as a cultural and social innovator.

To make this vision a reality, the continued philanthropic investment of a broad community of supporters is essential.

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CASE FOR SUPPORT 2021

Why Support Us? The MAH is a community hub at the heart of downtown Santa Cruz, a symbol of how urban space can be revitalized as a thriving center where people from all walks of life congregate and commune over a shared love for the arts and humanities.

Our successes to date are many—from the transformation of Abbott Square to the huge growth in visitors we have mobilized over the last 10 years, to the groundbreaking participatory museum movement we helped to pioneer. Now we take our good work deep into the community with innovative public art, unexpected creative experiences, opportunities to learn about our collective history, and new outreach strategies, while circling back to ensure the MAH serves the needs of all community members. Suffice it to say, as much as we have accomplished, there are many great things yet on the horizon.

When you support the Santa Cruz Museum of Art & History, it is not a gamble. You are joining a committed professional team with a long record of success working tirelessly on behalf of the community—building on the work that came before and reenergized under new leadership— to take the MAH to new levels of engagement, collaboration, and artistic excellence.

We hope you will not only support us, but join us on the next steps of this exciting journey.

Together, our potential knows no bounds.

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How To Engage There are several ways to support the MAH, with many benefits and opportunities offered to recognize and thank our donors and volunteers.

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Your contributions are essential to our shared success. Through membership, underwriting of special projects, sponsorship, and gifts of time and talent, our partners allow us to share our programs with a broad audience.

We thank our members, sponsors, and volunteers for their tremendous support, and look forward to working with new friends as we continue to pursue new horizons.

Membership Membership is a great way to support and experience the MAH. Annual levels start at $60 and include admission, exhibition previews, exclusive events, discounts, and more.

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Individual Giving

Corporate Support

There are many ways that individuals can make

There are a number of ways for businesses to

a difference at the MAH. Whether you choose to participate in one of our donor circles, support a specific program, or contribute to the annual fund, your generosity enables us to maintain our collections, develop and produce exhibits, and present inspiring and educational programs.

get involved with the MAH, including sponsorship, corporate membership, entertaining opportunities, and matching gifts, all of which provide partners a range of benefits and access to the museum.

Foundation & Government Support

Legacy Giving

The MAH builds partnerships with foundation

A planned gift to the MAH is the perfect way to

and government entities aimed at supporting all

perpetuate your love of art and history and establish a legacy. Planned giving includes any major gift that involves financial or estate planning such as bequests or gifts of securities,

aspects of our programming and operations.

We are proud to count leading local, state, and federal grantmaking organizations, independent foundations, and family foundations among our

retirement assets, life income plans, real estate,

valued supporters and collaborators.

or personal property.

In-Kind Support

Volunteering

The MAH benefits enormously from in-kind

The MAH involves hundreds of volunteers each

gifts that provide non-cash support for a wide

year in a variety of engaging opportunities at our museum and historic sites. Our dedicated volunteers provide support for operational

variety of needs. A member of the development team will be happy to assist you in coordinating your in-kind contribution.

tasks, lead tours, facilitate art and history experiences, and more.

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Leadership BOARD OF TRUSTEES

TEAM

Oscar Paz Education Coordinator

FY21 Roster

Staff Robb Woulfe Executive Director

Wyatt Young Archives & Library Coordinator

Jose Gonzalez President Carola Barton Vice President John Dowdell Vice President Laura LaPorte Secretary

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Bobbi Burns Treasurer Terry Ballantyne Brezsny Ray Cancino Freny Cooper Antonia Franco Frank Hayden Irene Juarez O’Connell Anni Lai Irena Polic Jose Reyes-Olivas Lacy Rieber Serena Rivera Alison Ruday Joanne Sanchez Ashley Spencer

Kevin Coullahan Director of Operations & Facilities Chance Decker Director of Development & Communications Marla Novo Director of Exhibitions & Programs Helen Aldana Outreach Coordinator Michaela Clark-Nagaoka Graphics & Content Creator Justin Collins Design & Production Manager Paul Conte Development Assistant Whitney Ford-Terry Exhibitions & Projects Manager Ashley Holmes Marketing & PR Manager Jamie Keil Learning & Engagement Manager Laurel Maxwell Guest Services Manager Claudia Oblea Private Events Manager

CASE FOR SUPPORT 2021

Contractors & Service Providers K. Deneen Bennett DEIA Consultant

Jeff Caplan Community Engagement Specialist Angela Knightley Design Support Julie Lambert, Lambert Group HR Consultant Erica Davis Grant Writer Chris Miller, Launch Brigade IT Consultant Rob Smiley, Armanino, LLP Auditor Sunreach Consulting Database Support Robert Zamora Bookkeeper Alla Zeltser, Alla & Co. Event Producer & Fundraising Consultant

Partnerships The MAH promotes cultural experiences in keeping with the beliefs, values, and ideals of the Santa Cruz County community, an effort that honors and strengthens our sense of place. In order to involve the community comprehensively in our mission and draw on the multidisciplinary strengths of our peer creative community, the MAH undertakes frequent collaborations with individuals, organizations, and businesses to offer relevant programming, services, and support. Our growing community-based alliances foster diversity, inclusion, and growth.

Here are some of the dynamic groups and individuals with whom we recently partnered.

ABBOTT SQUARE MARKET • ARTS COUNCIL SANTA CRUZ COUNTY • CALIFORNIA ARTS COUNCIL • CALIFORNIA COASTAL COMMISSION • CALIFORNIA HUMANITIES • CENTER FOR CREATIVE ECOLOGIES AT UCSC • CELENA ALLISON, MFT • CHRISTINE FAHRENBACH, PHD • CITY OF SANTA CRUZ • COMMUNITY FOUNDATION SANTA CRUZ COUNTY • DEBRA SLOSS, MA LMFT • DIGITAL NEST • DOWNTOWN SANTA CRUZ • DUDEK • FOODSMITH • HARPER CHEANEY PSYCHOTHERAPY • HERMANOS UNIDOS • HISTORY FORUM • HOSPICE OF SANTA CRUZ COUNTY • HOTEL PARADOX • INSTITUTE OF MUSEUM AND LIBRARY SERVICES • KAISER PERMANENTE • KUUMBWA JAZZ • LOS DIABLOS • MARIN MUSEUM OF BICYCLING • MARIPOSA ARTS COUNCIL • MOMA • MONTEREY PENINSULA FOUNDATION • MOUNTAIN BIKERS OF SANTA CRUZ • MUSEO EDUARDO CARRILLO • OCEAN CONSERVANCY • RESEARCHER’S ANONYMOUS • SANTA CRUZ AREA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE • SANTA CRUZ COUNTY BANK • SANTA CRUZ WORKS • SUPERKARMA GAMES • QUEER YOUTH TASK FORCE OF SANTA CRUZ COUNTY • SABROSURA • SALUD Y CARIÑO • SANTA CRUZ BARRIOS UNIDOS • SANTA CRUZ COUNTY • SANTA CRUZ PUBLIC LIBRARIES • SANTA CRUZ SPCA • SENDEROS • SERENO GROUP • TANNERY WORLD DANCE & CULTURAL CENTER • THE DAVID AND LUCILE PACKARD FOUNDATION • THE DIVERSITY CENTER • THE HUMANITIES INSTITUTE AT UCSC • THE JAMES IRVINE FOUNDATION • TONI CROSSEN, LMFT • UCSC CAREER CENTER • WATSONVILLE FILM FESTIVAL • WILLIAM & FLORA HEWLETT FOUNDATION

PHOTO CREDITS The majority of images featured in this publication were sourced from the MAH’s portfolio and archives. Special thanks to photographers Ashley Holmes, Michaela Clark-Nagaoka, Shane Jessup, Garrick Ramirez, Mickey Ta, Marcello Hutchinson-Trujillo, and Alex Vasquez.

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Please contact the MAH at 831.429.1964, if you have any questions.

For more information about the MAH, please visit santacruzmah.org.