[ Dear friends of the Bemis Center ]
At the Bemis Center for Contemporary Arts, clarity of mission is one of our core strengths. We exist to support artists, fostering creativity in its purest form. This purposeful generosity infuses the entire organization.
It is also one of the main reasons for our unprecedented growth over the past year. When many other non-profits were retreating inward, reluctant to take risks in the face of uncertainty, we have been expanding. Working towards this common goal, Bemis Center staff, the board of directors, members and sponsors have had the foresight to identify opportunities and the agility to capitalize on them.
This momentum, a direct result of last year’s Building Bemis capital campaign, has allowed us to expand our programming and cement our reputation as a leader in the growing field of artist communities. We are currently on track to receive over 1400 residency applications this year, double what we had just a few years ago. We have received recognition and support from the National Endowment for the Arts, calling our new Community Arts Residencies “imaginative and innovative.” And our exhibitions program has been making actual rainbows in the sky.
Obviously, organizations like the Bemis Center have aesthetic and cultural benefits, but I believe the implications of our success extend beyond the arts. The kind of energy generated by our programs and projects have become a catalyst for the community's creativity as a whole. Even as we’ve expanded, I’m proud to say that our fundamental values remain unchanged. As an artist-centered organization, we have been unwavering in our mission of supporting exceptional talent.
I invite you to join us.