AA Letter from our Executive Director and Board Chair
s we reflect on the past two years at The Bascom, we are filled with gratitude, pride, and a deep sense of purpose. 2024 and 2025 reminded us—sometimes unexpectedly—of the essential role The Bascom plays in the life of our community and the power of the visual arts to bring people together during moments of both celebration and challenge.
When Hurricane Helene swept through Western North Carolina in the fall of 2024, The Bascom responded not by retreating, but by opening our doors wider. Our campus became a place of gathering, generosity, and care—where artists, neighbors, and volunteers transformed creative energy into tangible support for those affected. That moment reflected something we have long believed: The Bascom is more than a place to view art; it is a place where community lives, responds, and grows.
As we celebrated our 40th anniversary, we did so with renewed momentum. This past year brought record attendance, expanded educational programming, and meaningful outreach to thousands of participants across the Plateau. We welcomed resident artists, strengthened community partnerships, and continued our commitment to accessibility through free admission and low-cost or no-cost programs.
These efforts are made possible by extraordinary staff, dedicated volunteers, a fully engaged board, and generous supporters who believe deeply in the value of the arts.
At the same time, we are looking forward. From ambitious exhibitions and workshops to longrange campus planning and capital investment, The Bascom is in a season of thoughtful growth. Our goal remains clear: to ensure that this campus continues to serve as a welcoming space where creativity, learning, and connection are available to all.
None of this work happens alone. We are profoundly grateful for the trust and support of our donors, partners, artists, and community members. Your belief in The Bascom allows us to remain resilient, responsive, and inspired as we build toward the next chapter of our shared story.
Thank you for being part of The Bascom. We invite you to explore this impact report and celebrate all that we have accomplished together.
With Gratitude,
Billy Love, Executive Director
Ann Wrobleski, Chair, Board of Directors
Board of Directors
Ann Wrobleski Chair,
Billy Love Executive Director
Board of Directors
Serving
Andy Adams
David Bock
Michael Crowe
Margaret Denny, Secretary, past Vice Chair
Chris Duffy
Lynn DeVault
Kendra Hildbold
Kathleen Hohlstein
Maudie Huff
Barbara Jamison
Bill Jump, Treasurer
Sue Lewis, Assistant Secretary
Mark Mahaffey
Myron Mall, Assistant Treasurer
Carol Misner
Kirk Moore
Charlene Palmisano, Vice Chair, past Secretary
Kathy Prosser
Nancy Race
Marie Sharpe
Rusty Stewart
Susan Tarver
Greg Thompson*
Ansley Tolleson
Marcia Weber
Hilary Wilkes
Ann Wrobleski, Chair
Billy Love, Executive Director
Artists are essential to The Bascom’s mission and to the cultural life of
Western North Carolina. During 2024–2025, donor support enabled The Bascom to work with more than 250 artists through exhibitions, residencies, teaching roles, professional internships, and retail partnerships.
Artists Supported
Sustaining Creative Practice in Rural Appalachia
xhibitions play an important role in this system of support, offering artists meaningful opportunities for visibility, professional dialogue, and growth across disciplines and career stages. Through curated exhibitions, open calls, and collegiate surveys such as Emergence, The Bascom provides professional and early-career artists with opportunities to situate their work within a broader regional and national context. Biennial and annual calls, including the Outdoor Sculpture Program, further supported professional development by offering hands-on experience with public presentation, installation, and audience engagement.
EThis integrated system of support proved especially meaningful following Hurricane Helene, when artists whose studios were damaged or inaccessible were welcomed into The Bascom’s studios. Access to studios, kilns, teaching opportunities, and retail opportunities allowed artists to continue working, earning income, and remaining connected to their community during a period of uncertainty.
“I do not have a studio or kiln to fire since the flood, and I was able to make enough work at The Bascom to have an online sale and restock my gallery. Selling pottery and teaching is my only income, so this was an essential opportunity.”
Melissa Weiss Potter and Educator
In 2025, The Bascom expanded its commitment to artist development with the launch of the Emerging Designer Program, a mentored internship designed to support early-career graphic designers through hands-on experience in arts marketing and visual communication. Rooted in the Creative Community Initiative, the program addresses a regional need for accessible, career-building opportunities
in the arts by offering real-world professional training within a mission-driven nonprofit environment.
The inaugural cohort, Seth Baker and Parks Felton, graphic design students at Western Carolina University, worked closely with The Bascom’s Director of Marketing and Communications on major projects, including Chatov: A Retrospective and the Dazzling Dahlia Festival. Through the development of exhibition and event collateral, participants gained experience in design strategy, visual storytelling, and nonprofit communications while contributing meaningfully to The Bascom’s public-facing work.
By supporting artists at all stages of their careers, donors help ensure that creative practice can be sustained in rural Appalachia, strengthening both individual livelihoods and the broader regional creative economy.
“Participating in Emergence allows students to visualize themselves within a much broader view of undergraduate and graduate programs in the Southeast and has helped them dream bigger. These exhibitions, along with the Outdoor Sculpture program, provide practical, career-oriented experience that is invaluable for young artists.”
Doug McAbee Professor of Art, Lander
University
(Top) students view their work in the 2025 Emergence Exhibition.
(Bottom) Emerging Designers, Seth Baker and Parks Felton celebrate
reception.
The Bascom Clay Symposium
Shared Learning and Contemporary Ceramic Practice
In 2025, The Bascom presented two Clay Symposiums following the previous year’s disruption caused by Hurricane Helene. The 14th Annual Bascom Clay Symposium, Symbolism in Expressive Narrative, brought together Christine Kosiba, Andrea Keys Connell, and Taylor Robenalt, with a keynote by Stephanie Moore, Executive Director, The Center for Craft, offering demonstrations and conversations that invited participants and visitors into close dialogue with contemporary ceramic practice.
Later in the year, the 15th Annual Clay Symposium, Forms of Inspiration, held during The Bascom’s 40th anniversary
year, featured Kirsten Stingle, Natasha Dikareva, and Thaddeus Erdahl, with a keynote address by Bethany Chaney, Executive Director of the John C. Campbell Folk School. This fall gathering was accompanied by the exhibition Forms of Inspiration: Ceramic Artists of the Bascom Clay Symposium, presenting selected works by participating artists in the Joel Gallery.
Together, the Clay Symposia fostered meaningful connection between artists and audiences, supported working artists through visibility and exchange, and offered the community free access to thoughtful, process-driven engagement with clay as both material and language.
Ben Owen III, William McCanless, and Fred Johnston
Brandon Reese, Jim Connell, and Fong Choo
Chris Gustin, Jennifer McCurdy, and Christina Cordova
Cynthia Bringle, Mark Hewitt, and David Stuempfle
Cynthia Bringle, Michael Sherrill, and Ron Meyers
Trey Hill, Shadow May, and Alex Matisse
Summer: Mike Lalone, Mike Vatalaro, and Sue Grier
Fall: Debra Fritts, Nancy Kubale, and Lisa Clague
“What sets this organization apart from other art centers is its commitment to providing programming and opportunities that bring people together and enrich the lives of participants and visitors alike.”
Kirsten Stingle Ceramics Artist and Educator
Kyle Carpenter, Ron Philbeck, and Michael Kline
Josh Copus, Maria Dondero, and Fred Johnston
Amy Sanders, Jennifer Mecca, and Kristin Schoonover
Takuro Shibata, Hitomi Shibata, and Matthew Schiemann
Chad Brown, David Stuempfle, and Pam Owens
Spring: Christine Kosiba, Andréa Keys Connell, and Taylor Robenalt
Keynote by Stephanie Moore
Fall: Kirsten Stingle, Natasha Dikareva, and addeus Erdahl
Keynote by Bethany Chaney
Eric Knoche, Joey Sheehan, and Will Dickert
Keynote by Michael Sherrill
Community as a Co-Creator
Gathering, Celebration, and Shared Experience
The Bascom functions not only as a site for viewing art, but as a shared space of creative exchange. Throughout 2024–2025, communitycentered programs such as Community Day, the Holiday Market, the Barn Dance, Bascom Clay Symposia, and the Dazzling Dahlia Festival invited the public to engage with art as a collective experience.
In 2025, The Bascom welcomed the Dazzling Dahlia Festival to campus, thoughtfully reimagining the event as a program that connects horticulture and the visual arts. New educational and interpretive offerings, including The Dahlia Dialogue and Petals and Perspectives, expanded the festival’s scope and created opportunities for collaboration with community partners, reinforcing The Bascom’s role as a place where the visual arts, education, and local heritage intersect.
Dazzling Dahlia Festival photos, from left to right: Aaron Ganey and Gage Lequire for Design Nouveau | Sonya Carpenter and Ester Gooch for Cohabitate Kim Daughtry, Tim Whatley, and Drew English | Crowd pictured during Drew English’s Dahlia Dialogue | Logo Design by Emerging Designer, Parks Felton
Dazzling Da hlia Festival
A young couple dance during the Community Barn Dance, 2025
Photo by Mary Gillan Renfro
Spaces that Gather People
Campus
Stewardship as Community Infrastructure
The Bascom’s campus is more than a setting for programs; it is an essential space where the visual arts, education, and community life intersect. During 2024–2025, donor investment strengthened this role in meaningful ways.
The restoration and reopening of the Will Henry Stevens Bridge reaffirmed its function as both a physical connector and a symbolic threshold, welcoming visitors once again to campus. The completion and dedication of the Soda Kiln, along with surrounding patio and lawn spaces, expanded opportunities for gathering and shared experience, transforming technical processes into moments of collaboration and discovery.
(Left) Community members celebrate during the re-dedication of the Will Henry Stevens Bridge (Right) Thanks to the generous support of the Campbell, Mahaffey, and Winkler families, The Bascom now features a newly constructed soda kiln, along with a patio and lawn areas that further enrich our outdoor gathering spaces.
“The
March firing of The Bascom’s soda kiln gave me renewed inspiration, new skills, and insights that will sustain my studio and teaching practice for the future.”
Will Dickert Potter and Educator
Youth and Lifelong Learning
Education as a Foundation for Community Well-being
In 2024–2025, The Bascom made a strategic investment in expanding youth and community learning through the addition of Ceramics ArtistEducator Ester Lipscomb and Community Engagement Associate, Caryn Raming. Together, these roles increased The Bascom’s capacity to serve learners of all ages across the Plateau.
Under Lipscomb’s leadership, youth and family programming expanded to include children’s classes, homeschool offerings, and intergenerational workshops that introduced young participants to studio practice while building confidence, curiosity, and creative problem-solving skills.
Raming expanded The Bascom’s outreach offerings through partnerships with schools, libraries, senior centers, and youth-serving organizations, increasing the reach and consistency of arts experiences beyond campus and helping ensure access for individuals who might otherwise face barriers to participation.
“We have enjoyed the various multimedia art projects that The Bascom has provided for our seniors at the Cashiers Senior Center over the past year...The instructors are attentive to our seniors and offer the one-on-one support that some participants require. While class sizes vary from month to month, participation has increased steadily in recent months. We have enjoyed the art projects and hope to continue this program at our center.”
Linda Buchanan Cashiers Senior Center, Manager
Did You Know?
In 2025, The Bascom supported creative engagement at the Cashiers Senior Center through 14 hands-on projects, collectively producing 125 works of art.
“When I moved to the Highlands area in 2020, I really got to know the people who made The Bascom The Bascom. They were the ones who shaped it into something artistic, open, friendly, and deeply creative. Being around them changed how I thought about community and collaboration. I love spending my time there, doing my work, and sharing that work with the people who give the place its soul.”
Olga King
Artist + Bascom Volunteer
Holiday Market
Seasonal Engagement and Artist Support
In 2025, The Bascom presented its second annual Holiday Market, building on the success of its inaugural year. Running from November through late December, the Holiday Market features a wide range of artist-made works by local and regional makers, offering patrons an opportunity to purchase one-of-a-kind objects while directly supporting working artists and The Bascom’s Creative Community Initiative.
The Market also served as a driver of arts engagement during the winter months, inviting visitors to pair shopping with creative experiences, exhibitions, and hands-on activities for all ages. Through its combination of artist support, free public access, and community-centered programming, the Holiday Market strengthened connections between artists and audiences and reinforced The Bascom’s role as a place for shared creative experience.
Did You Know?
During the 2025 Holiday Market The Bascom offered 17 festive workshops.
Giving Societies
Ways to Support The Bascom
On July 5, 2025, The Bascom introduced new giving societies during its fourth annual Benefactors’ Breakfast, a gathering that recognizes the generosity of supporters whose philanthropic investments sustain the mission to create visual art experiences that inspire and empower individuals and communities through seeing, thinking, and doing.
The breakfast served as both a celebration and an expression of gratitude, acknowledging the essential role philanthropy plays in advancing exhibitions, educational programming, and community outreach. Guests were honored with commemorative lapel pins representing The Bascom’s giving societies, tangible symbols of the enduring relationship between generosity and community enrichment.
In addition to the Director’s Circle, which recognizes annual giving, and The Barratt Society, which honors leadership-level annual support, the 2025 Benefactors’ Breakfast marked the introduction of two new giving societies: The 1985 Society recognizes lifetime giving from dedicated supporters whose sustained contributions have played a vital role in shaping The Bascom’s growth and impact.
The Bascom Legacy Society honors individuals who have established planned gifts by naming The Bascom as a beneficiary in their estate plans, ensuring longterm support for future generations.
The Bascom is deeply grateful to every donor who believes in the transformative power of the visual arts. Through this generosity, accessible and meaningful arts experiences continue to strengthen individual lives and enrich communities across the region.
Your donations are essential to the advancement of our mission, and your support ensures The Bascom remains a premier destination in Western North Carolina to experience the transformative power of the visual arts. The Bascom is a nonprofit 501(c)3 charitable organization, Tax ID: 56-2093546. Contributions are taxdeductible as allowed by law.
Photos from the 2025 Benefactors’ Breakfast.
Photos by Susan B. Renfro
Thank you to our Donors
Our impact on the regional artistic community is significant, but we could not do it without the generous support of our Bascom family, who donate their time, energy, talents and resources to ensuring we are able to continue our mission.
Patrons gather during the 2025 Patron Party.
Photo by Susan B. Renfro
1985 Society
Honoring lifetime giving
The Background:
Formalized as a giving society in 2025, The 1985 Society honors lifetime giving from dedicated and consistent supporters, recognizing their cumulative donations over the years. The Bascom began over 40 years ago in 1985 as a small, dedicated exhibition space in one room of the Hudson Library after a surprise gift was received from the Watson Barratt estate, and it now occupies a stunning six-acre former horse farm near downtown Highlands.
The Why:
The Bascom thrives because of supporters and artists who have consistently been engaged over the decades. The 1985 Society honors the year that The Bascom was established and honors the lifelong support of its donors. Acknowledging lifetime giving demonstrates the full impact of the individual’s philanthropic efforts.
The How:
The 1985 Society donors are recognized for lifetime cumulative contributions beginning at a total value of $50,000 through the following giving circles:
• $50,000 – Satulah Circle
• $100,000 – Hudson Circle
• $250,000 – Louise Circle
• $500,000 – Crane Circle
• $1,000,000+ - Stevens Circle
Stevens Circle
$1,000,000+
Named for Southern Modernist Will Henry Stevens, whose namesake bridge serves as both a literal and symbolic entry to The Bascom, linking the past and our future through shared creative community.
The Estate of Frances Bunzl
Cathy and Bob Fisher
Nancy and Larry* Fuller
Louree and Bill Greehey
Mary and Greg* Thompson
Angela and Art Williams
*In memoriam
1985 S O CIETY C
rane Cir c l e
T h e Bascoma Cente r for the Visua l A r t s
Crane Circle
$500,000
Commemorating The Bascom’s evolution into an independent nonprofit and its new beginnings on the historic Crane family farm, a place where art and nature thrive together in harmony.
Debi and David Bock
Virginia and Mike Campbell
Lucy and Jack Kuhne
Marianne and Mark Mahaffey
Vance and Willis Willey
1985 S O CIETY Louise Cir c l e
T h e Bascoma Cente r for the Visua l A r t s
Louise Circle
$250,000
Named in tribute to writer and Highlands native
Louise Bascom Barratt, whose legacy inspired the transformative gift made in her memory by her husband, Watson Barratt.
Marty and Dan Boone
Tricia Bunzl
Lynn DeVault and Glo Ghegan
Gail Coutcher Hughes and Tim Hughes
Gail and Paul Jones
Judy and Bennett Kight
Dianne and Myron Mall
Heath Massey and John Mitchener
Cecile and Philip* McCaull
Linda and Mark Quick
Suzanne B. Wilner
Heather and Horst* Winkler
*In memoriam
Judith and Ron Bobo
Cathryn Britton
Fred and Helen Cooper
Kitty and T. Wayne Davis
Susie Day
Sylvia and Don Dorough
Gayle and Frank Eby
Ruthie and Berryman Edwards
Gregory and Buffy File
Meegie Glass
Bobbie and Jonathan Golden
Nancy and Charles Harrison
The Estate of Sara and Fred Hoyt
Paula and Barry* Jones
Hudson Circle
$100,000
Honoring The Bascom’s humble beginnings within a single room of the Hudson Library, where the roots of our creative community were planted.
Carol and Stiles Kellett
Beverly Koski
The Estate of Sara Mann
Fran and Bill Matthews
Anita and Larry Maxwell
Rozzy and John McCoy
Diane and Ray McPhail
Marsha and Jim Meadows
Kevin Naylor
Janet and Carlisle Overstreet
Sue and Kimble Ratliff
Elizabeth and Edwin Rodriguez
Kathy and Joe Sanderson
The Estate of Cary Saurage II
Beverly and Wally Seinsheimer
Ann and Claude* Sullivan
Susan and Charley Tarver
Kathy and David Trice
Betsy and Wright Turner
Paula Walsh
Marcia and Charlie Weber
Dian and Tom Winingder
Peggy Woodruff
*In memoriam
Emily Adkins and Ben Smith
Marjorie and James Andrews
Robert Balentine
Vivi and Wayne Beckner
Jane and Richard Beeler
Mary Ann and Dick Boger
Lee Bowman
Jenny Lynn and Waldo* Bradley
Linda and Hines Brannan
Jonye and Deane Briggs
Judy and Jack Brinson
Maureen and Arthur Britton
Nancy and William Broyles
Malcolm Burgess*
James and Jean Callier
Jimmie and Wayne Carse
Eleanor and Bill Cheney
Linda and Tommy Clark
Geri and Wade Coleman
Linda and Dick Cravey
Claire and Alex Crumbley
Margaret and Dallas Denny
Candy and Gus* Denton
Linda and Dick Dickinson
Sandy and Jim Dixon
Beverly Ellars
$50,000
Honoring the visionary gift made possible by the sale of the Barratt home on Satulah Mountain, a lasting act of generosity that realized a dream and laid the foundation for a center for the visual arts in Highlands.
Leslie and Taylor Garnett
The Estate of Anne and Martin Gary
Joseph Giegel
Sieglinde and John Gillfillan
Anne and Dick Goodsell
Emily Gray
Betti and Corb Hankey
Pat Hartrampf
Helen and Comer Hobbs
Kathleen and Chrisopher Hohlstein
Edith Holiday and Terry Adamson
Fay Howell
Anna and Dolf James
Amelia and Curtis James
The Estate of Richard Joel Sr.
Cathy and D. Paul Jones
Vesta and David Jones
Ann Klamon
James H. Landon
Marianne and E.G. Lassiter
Jody and Wood Lovell
C. Knox Massey Jr.
Mary Eliza and Howard* McMillan
Charlotte* and Finley Merry
Carol Misner and Ann Huckstep
Flossie and Tommy Mobley
Beth and Jim Nellis
Nancy and Lyle Nichols
Charlene and Tony Palmisano
Hilda and Pat Patrick
Anne Maddrey Carpenter and Peter Portley
Jack Price
Agnes and Charles Richards
Bridget and Al Ritter
Janet and James Robbins
Jack Sawyer and Bill Torres
Kurt Schulzman and Richard Neri
Wyn and Bill Shoptaw
Victoria and John Simms
Bessie Speed
Helen Steward
Cindy and Andy Strickland
Corbin and Robert Tucker
Suzanne and Edward Turnbull
Jane Webb and David* La Cagnina
Sarah Morgan and Walter Wingfield
Lynne Winship
Patsy and Bill Wolff
Carla and Leonard Wood
Ann Wrobleski
*In memoriam
BARRAT T SOCIETY Barratt Society for annual leadership commitments
Cente r for the Visua l A r t s
The Background:
Named after the first gift to establish The Bascom from Watson Barratt and Louise Bascom Barratt, the Barratt Society honors supporters who give leadership annual gifts to support programming, events, and operations of The Bascom. Launched in 2022, The Barratt Society received over $1.5 million in support in its first three years with 33 philanthropists contributing to the efforts.
The Why:
Committed annual leadership gifts are crucial to the yearly needs and future planning of The Bascom’s programs, staff, and community outreach. The impact of the Barratt Society on The Bascom and its financial sustainability has been extraordinary over the past three years.
The How:
With a minimum of $10,000 a year for a minimum consecutive commitment of three years, supporters can be honored as a Barratt Society member. Annual levels of giving within the Barratt Society presently include gifts from $10,000 to $100,000 annually.
Barratt Society Gifts Make Possible the Following:
Barratt Society gifts make possible the transformational experience of seeing and making art for audiences across the region, ensuring that the power of art is accessible to all. Gifts support The Bascom’s free exhibitions, sculpture trail, gallery receptions, community initiatives with art education opportunities for children through senior adults, complimentary community events such as Community Day in July, the Community Barn Dance in August, and the Dahlia Festival in September, annual Bascom Clay Symposium, art course scholarships, and the broader operational needs of our art center.
2025 Barratt Society Members
Debi and David Bock
Marty and Dan Boone
Virginia and Mike Campbell
Susie Day
Margaret and Dallas Denny
Lynn DeVault and Glo Ghegan
Ruthie and Berryman Edwards
Beverly Ellars
Sue Emanuelson, Murphy Townsend, and Gregor Turk
Cathy and Bob Fisher
Meegie Glass
Louree and Bill Greehey
Nancy and Charles Harrison
BARRAT T SOCIETY
Kendra and Rick Hildbold
Kathleen and Christopher Hohlstein
Maudie and Bill Huff
Gail Coutcher Hughes and Tim Hughes
Jane Jerry
Elizabeth and Bill Jump
Ann Klamon
Frank Langford Jr.
Marianne and Mark Mahaffey
Dianne and Myron Mall
Heath Massey and John Mitchener
Anita and Larry Maxwell
Diane and Ray McPhail
Melissa and William Meyers
Carol Misner and Ann Huckstep
Charlene and Tony Palmisano
Kathy and Tony Prosser
Nancy and Kevin Race
The Estate of Cary Saurage II
Anneli and Robert Thiebaut
Mary and Greg* Thompson
Marcia and Charlie Weber
Vance and Willis Willey
Carla and Leonard Wood
Ann Wrobleski
*In memoriam
DIRECTO R ’S CIRCLE Director’s Circle for annual support
The Background:
Background: Created to encourage and steward gifts of $1,000 or more, The Director’s Circle allows opportunities for many donors to be recognized for their yearly contributions to The Bascom.
The Why:
This giving circle allows supporters to be involved in the work of the Bascom with yearly gifts starting at a minimum of $1,000. Gifts to The Director’s Circle support the mission of The Bascom through on-site and off-site programs, daily operations, and staffing.
Director’s Circle Gifts Make Possible the Following: Director’s Circle gifts make possible the transformational experience of seeing and making art for audiences across the region, ensuring that the power of art is accessible to all. Gifts support The Bascom’s free exhibitions, sculpture trail, gallery receptions, community initiatives with art education opportunities for children through senior adults, complimentary community events such as Community Day in July, the Community Barn Dance in August, and the Dahlia Festival in September, annual Bascom Clay Symposium, art course scholarships, and the broader operational needs of our art center.
The How:
o $1,000 - Silver Director’s Circle
o $2,500 - Gold Director’s Circle
o $5,000 - Platinum Director’s Circle
2025 Platinum Director’s Circle Donors
Bel Canto Recital
Judith and Ron Bobo
Katherine and Glenn Bosio
Jack Brinson
Cathryn Britton
Cedar Creek Club
Michael Burel and Michael Crowe
Claire and Alex Crumbley
Cullasaja Women’s Outreach
Leslie and Ronald Ezerski
Anne and Dick Goodsell
Helen A. Powers Fund
Kathryn and Doug Hendrickson
Highlands Chamber of Commerce
Kay Hodges
Ede and Terry Holiday
Nancy and Johnny Johns
Catherine and Paul Jones
Carol and Stiles Kellett
Sandy Killion
Lucy and Jack Kuhne
North Carolina Arts Council
Sidney Pearce
Richard J. Reynolds and Marie M. Reynolds
Foundation
Janet and Jim Robbins
Judith and Bahnson Stanley
Linda and David Stetson
Carol and Rusty Stewart
Susan and Charley Tarver
Betsy and Wright Turner
Wade Hampton Golf Club
Ruthie Watts
Angela and Art Williams
Lynn Wilroy
Sarah Morgan and Walter Wingfield
Dancy and Charles Wynne
2025 Gold Director’s Circle Donors
Jane and Andy Adams
Laura and Greg Alby
Lee and Carter Bailey
Melissa and George Ballantyne
Harriet Bauknight
Vivi and Wayne Beckner
Barbara and Mike Boreen
Barbie and Ken Boyer
Jenny Lynn Bradley
Elva and Tom Brady
Susan and Jeffrey Byrne
Helen and Matt Calvert
Catherine Henson and Chris Carpenter
Joanne Cheatham
Church of the Good Shepherd- Cashiers
Linda and Tommy Clark
Natalie and Tom Coghill
Margina Cogswell
Geri and Wade Coleman
Kathy and William Cook
Denise and Ed Crenshaw
KC Cunningham
Barbara and Doug DeMaire
Alexandra and Michael Denti
Candy Denton
William DeVane
Chris Duffy
Martha and Michael Dupuis
Clare and Wiley Ellis
Patti and Frank Foster
Stacy and Reid Freeman
Bobbie and Jonathan Golden
Mary Katherine and Tom Greene
Anna and Thomas Guffey
Laura and Barrie Harmon
Ruthie and Bob Harrell
Ann and George Hartley
Julie Ann and Doug Hartman
Patricia and James Hatcher
Jo and Jack Hill
Teresa and Ed Hocevar
Susan Hunt
Marianne and Ben Jenkins
Courtney and Kyle Jenks
Beth and Ethan Johnson
Lana Jordan
Patty and Mike Kistner
Carol and Douglas Lacy
Marianne and E.G. Lassiter
Judy and William Maner
Sallie and John Martin
Fran and William Matthews
Bill Bush and Bruce McAlpin
Cecile McCaull
Julie and John McIntyre
Beth and Jim Nellis
Becca and Godfrey Newton
Ellen and Erik Nielsen
Dorianne and Drew Norwood
Lewis Pollack
Karin and Terry Potts
Mitzi and Hammond Rauers
Lisa and Bob Reeves
Stephanie Edgar and William B. Reeves
Emilie and Bruce Reid
Karen and Shannon Reid
Beth and Dan Riley
Linda Benge and Paul Robshaw
Ashley and Bill Rogers
Robin Russell
Anne and Milton Schaeffer
Richard Neri and Kurt Schulzman
Bev and Wally Seinsheimer
Nancy and Tredway Shurling
Helene and Rick Siegel
Suzann and Robert Soran
John Capps and Kenneth Stein
Helen Steward
Marianne and Robert Strickland
Ann and Richard Strub
Debbie and Jim Thompson
Keller and Sam Torrey
Jane and Tom Tracy
Kathy and Bestor Ward
Virginia and Wilbur Warner
Susan and Glenn Warren
Jane Webb
Linda and Matt Wilson
Dian and Tom Winingder
Lynne Winship
Kay Winzenried
Carol and Blake Young
2025 Silver Directors Circle Donors
Tricia and Inman Allen
Art League of Highlands-Cashiers
Carol Attridge
Tahnee Bassett
Lorena Bayless
Joan and Jay Betts
Mary Ann and Dick Boger
Linda and Hines Brannan
Maureen and Kevin Browne
Mary and John Burke
Ada and Otto Busot
Kathleen and Bob Carroll
Cashiers Community Fund
Ruth and Tom Claiborne
Richard Cole
Hillary Cone
Amy and Cecil Conlee
Clair Craver
Anne and Clifton Culberson
Lyn and John Darden
Phyllis D. and Thomas L. Davis
Winifred and Tread Davis
Ann and John Day
Leigh and Melvin Deese
Linda and Dick Dickinson
Suzanne Dickinson
Vevie and Lawrence Dimmitt
Linda and Gordon Dixon
Avary and Gerry Doubleday
Maggie Douglas
Mary and Johnny Dunn
Kathy and John Eastman
Marjory and Ronald Elliott
First Presbyterian Church
Patricia and Dean Foor
Berty and Victor Fransen
Sandy Freeman
Linda and Daniel Fuchs
Chesley and Lee Garrett
Barbara and Sam Gassaway
Gwen Greenglass
Barbara and Bob Gross
Betti and Corb Hankey
Laura and Steven Harris
Lindy and Robert Harrison
Robert Haynes
Celeste and Ron Henkelman
Carl Romberg and Bret Herbert
Highlands-Cashiers Hospital
Highlands Community Fund
Helen and Comer Hobbs
Mike Hogan
Beth and Tommy Holder
Lila and Slocum Howland
Shannon and David Hughs
Jane and Clay Jackson
Debby and Kurt Jacobson
Barbara and Jim Jamison
Joan Johnson
Paula Jones
Sue and Thornton Jordan
Suzanne Guest and James Kimmel
Kathy and Kirk Knous
Elizabeth and James Landis
Jim Landon
Alister Brady and Michael Lanzilotta
Margaret and John Lauletta
Frances and Dennis Leftwich
Gage and Mark LeQuire
Nancy and Charles Lichtman
Billy Love
Margaret and Jimmy Lowder
Sue and Gary Lowe
Nancy and John Ludwig
Suzanne and Michael Magalis
Jean and Robert Markley
Heather McFarlin
Dorothy K. McPherson
Pam and Bob McTyeire
Kathy and Jim Milby
Patricia and John Moorehouse
Bennie Jo Murray
Butchie and Alan Neely
Nancy and Lyle Nichols
2025 Silver Director’s Circle Donors cont...
Virginia and John Noland
Margaret L. Payne
Martha and Al Pearson
Bonnie and George Pettway
Anne Maddrey Carpenter and Peter Portley
Alice Quinif
Jamie and Brent Raynor
Lisa and Bill Richards
Jan Roush
Jane Roy
Edwin Rutherford
Andrea Saia
Anita Simon
Emily Adkins and Ben Smith
Peachy and Alwyn Staley
Joan and Stan Starnes
Rosemary and Bill Stiefel
Evelyn and Gene Stutts
Ann Sullivan
Gail and William Taber
Aaron Smith and Brian Tolleson
Corbin and Robert Tucker
Suzanne and Edward Turnbull
Susanne and John Wean
Eleanor and Irvine Welling
David Moore and Darren Whatley
Sarah Wilson
Lu and James Worrell
Sheryl and Jimmy Ray Youell
LEGACY S OCIETY
h e Bascoma Cente r for the Visua l A r t s
The Background:
This giving society is named in recognition of the visionary estate gift made by Watson Barratt, who founded The Bascom in memory of his wife, Louise Bascom Barratt. The Bascom Legacy Society honors supporters who establish planned gifts through the documentation of The Bascom as a beneficiary in their estate plans. We honor the legacy of the Bascom Barratt family and the legacies of those who come after them through this planned giving society, which was established in 2025.
The Why:
Supporters looking toward future support through planned gifts (will, bequest, estate, retirement, life insurance beneficiaries, etc.) help The Bascom look to the future as well with visionary support to assist with master planning and strategic planning.
The How
Donors can complete a Statement of Intent with The Bascom to articulate their commitment and desired intent of use of their estate gift. Planned gifts may include The Bascom as a beneficiary of a percentage of the estate or fund or as a predetermined sum of the estate or fund. Providing a Statement of Intent and the signed beneficiary page naming The Bascom qualifies supporters as lifetime members of The Bascom Legacy Society. While planned gifts of all amounts are welcomed, those documenting a planned gift of $10,000 and above will be recognized in The Bascom Legacy Society.
Legacy Society for planned gifts The Bascom
Legacy Society Members
Frank
Langford Jr. Stephanie and Bill Reeves
A Vision Rooted in Building Community and Honoring Legacy
For over forty years, The Bascom has inspired and empowered individuals and communities, through seeing, thinking, and doing. As we look toward the next chapter of our story, we are strengthening the foundation that supports our work and ensures that creative connections continue to thrive on the Plateau for generations to come. Informed by more than five years of planning, facilities assessment, and a completed feasibility study, Framing the Future: The Bascom Campaign for Building Community and Honoring Legacy reflects a thoughtful, forward-looking approach to growth that balances artistic vision with financial stewardship and long-term sustainability.
A Thoughtful Plan for the Future
• ENSURES The Bascom remains financially sound while supporting long-term sustainability and resilient revenue streams.
• PRIORITIZES enclosing and expanding The Terrace with a minimum of $4M in support to create a year-round gathering space for art, community, and milestone celebrations.
• GROWS The Bascom’s endowment with a minimum of $2M in support to sustain free exhibitions, education, and outreach for future generations.
THE TERRACE
Key Points
• The Terrace serves as a central gathering place for exhibitions, artist talks, festivals, and milestone celebrations.
• Canvas walls, lack of climate control, and unpredictable weather limit year-round use.
• Enclosing and expanding The Terrace will create a comfortable, allweather space while preserving mountain views.
• This transformation will ensure consistent access to art, education, and celebration in every season.
• The Terrace priority requires a minimum of $4M in private support.
THE ENDOWMENT
Key Points
• Provides reliable support for free exhibitions, scholarships, residencies, and outreach programs.
• Protects the financial stability needed to maintain our campus and expand partnerships.
• The endowment priority inspires to reach a minimum of $2M in private gifts to grow sustainable funding in perpetuity.
Framing the Future: The Bascom Campaign for Building Community and Honoring Legacy is a comprehensive campaign, where every gift makes a difference. The collective impact of philanthropy will provide innumerable opportunities for our communities and the visual arts. Join us today by making a gift of a meaningful amount to you.
Contact The Bascom to discuss giving opportunities through outright gifts or multi year pledges at development@ thebascom.org or by contacting the Director of Development at 828.787.2897.
2024 & 2025 Financials
A Letter from our Treasurer
I’m pleased to report that The Bascom’s financial position remains strong. Continued donor support and the vitality of our programming have allowed us to build upon an already solid financial foundation, as reflected in our Statements of Financial Position and Activities. Operating results for 2024 and 2025, before non-cash depreciation expense, were solid and exceeded the Board’s expectations.
We remain committed to executing the Vision and Priorities statement adopted by the Board in 2022, which identified four areas essential to our long-term sustainability: strengthening our programming, attracting and retaining talented staff, growing philanthropic support, and thoughtfully stewarding our campus assets. We have continued to make meaningful progress in each of these areas over the past two years.
Thank you to our donors, volunteers, staff, and community members for your continued support of The Bascom’s mission.
Bill Jump Treasurer
Condensed Statement of Financial Position
At December 31st
Pledges and Accounts Receivable, Current Other Current Assets
Total Current Assets
Long-term Assets:
Pledges and Accounts Receivable, Long-term
Endowment Funds
Property and Equipment, Net of Accumulated Depreciation
Total Long-term Assets
LIABILITIES AND NET ASSETS
$ 14,437,530
If you wish to receive a copy of the 2024 Audited Financial Statements, please contact Holly Alligood, Director of Finance and Administration, at halligood@ thebascom.org.
$ 667,167 303,555 47,840 1,018,562 335,364 1,426,253 9,101,459 10,863,076 $ 11,881,638 $ 112,587 11,769,051 $ 11,881,638
Assets Total Liabilities and Net Assets * Unaudited
Please note that the Audited Financial Statements for the year 2025 have not yet been completed. They will be available for distribution once the auditing process is finalized.
2024 & 2025 Financials cont...
Condensed Statement of Activity
REVENUE
Contributions, Sponsorships and Grants
Program Revenue
Special Event Income
Retail Revenue, Net of Commissions Paid to Artists
Investment Income (Loss)
Other Revenue
Total Revenue
EXPENSES
Personnel
Contract Labor and Professional Fees
Facility Repairs/Maintenance and Utilities
Fundraising Events
Grants and Scholarships
Other Expenses
Total Expenses
Change in Net Assets before Depreciation
Depreciation
Change in Net Assets
For the year ended December 31st * Unaudited
Note Regarding the 2024 and 2025 Financial Statements:
The increase in revenue and net assets in 2025 was driven in part by the continued generosity of our Barratt Society participants, including strong participation from new members and renewals from the program’s exceptionally successful inaugural year in 2022. We are deeply grateful to all of our donors whose ongoing support makes the organization’s work possible. Barratt Society commitments are structured as three-year pledges, which under IRS and accounting rules are recognized as revenue in the year the pledge is made.
Contribution revenue in 2025 also included significant early gifts made in advance of the official kickoff of a comprehensive capital campaign.
The organization’s strengthened financial position allowed us to convert certain outsourced and part-time roles into full-time, in-house staff positions—an investment that will further support our long-term capacity and mission.
Bill Jump Treasurer
