Yesterday, August 7th was my last day as Woman Made Gallery's Gallery Coordinator, and at a gathering with Board, Advisors, and Volunteers I was honored for my four years of work for this incredible organization.
As I shared in my previous email, working at Woman Made has been transformative on multiple levels, but the endeavor that has been closest to my heart is 20 Neighborhoods. WMG's mission inspired me to develop 20 Neighborhoods so that we might strengthen our community and broaden opportunities for art making and exhibition. This celebratory community arts project engages women from diverse communities across Chicago where access to the arts is limited.
"Throughout our creative explorations, artists acknowledged the emergence of a sense of solidarity and support, which guided our newly-formed community as we worked to uplift one another through shared stories and mutual empowerment.
----Teaching artists Silvia Gonzalez and Jeannette Perkal describing their workshop
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| 20 Neighborhoods Year 2 Final Exhibition - Artist Reception at WMG |
Because of your support, over 100 project participants----including partner organizations, teaching artists, project interns, and participating artists----have come together for two consecutive years to create and exhibit their art, both in their respective locations and at Woman Made Gallery. I am writing to you now, to ask you to make a generous contribution, as 20 Neighborhoods enters its third year.
Your gift of 50 dollars or more will go a long way in making Year 3 of 20 Neighborhoods a success. And 20 Neighborhoods is a great investment:
$50 will buy all art supplies needed to host one tour and accompanying art workshop event at Woman Made Gallery.
$100 pays the stipend for one talented teaching artist to design and lead one of seven total art events at WMG.
$150 provides two women from low-income communities with transportation for one whole year, making it possible for them to attend all seven art events at WMG.
$250 sponsors one woman's participation in 20 Neighborhoods for the whole year.
Please support 20 Neighborhoods and make a tax-deductible donation now. Donations are possible through Intuit Payment Network, or Paypal on WMG's website, or with check or credit card by mail to: Woman Made Gallery, 685 N. Milwaukee Ave., Chicago, IL 60642.
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| Workshop at Chinese American Service League |
Through your financial support of this unique project, you can have a major impact. Typically, art education and gallery access is limited to well-resourced communities. Through 20 Neighborhoods you help to balance the scales.
I feel incredibly lucky to have spent four years working at an organization that truly values the skills and ideas of all its staff, volunteers, board, exhibiting artists, and supporters. Co-Founder and Executive Director Beate Minkovski is the curator of this culture of openness and appreciation. Her confidence and your support has made 20 Neighborhoods so successful.
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| Workshop with Benton House and South Side Community Art Center |
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| Workshop with The Arts of Life |
As I get ready to move on, please make a donation and help me make sure that 20 Neighborhoods, now such an important Woman Made Gallery program, continues to thrive.
As always, I am very appreciative of your commitment and engagement. We have an incredible organization, full of strong artists, patrons, volunteers and donors, of which we should all be very proud. It has truly been a pleasure to be part of Woman Made Galley.
With love and appreciation,
Ruby
