Weekly Update from Vashon Center for the Arts Dear VCA friends and supporters, It has been a week since my last letter, and I find myself reflecting on all the changes that a series of days can bring. I have found myself fully accepting that change is the one constant we can be sure of, and our ability to adapt to it and move through it will make us resilient – a defining word that has become my own code to live by. At VCA, we anticipated the Governor’s stay at home mandate and made provisions for our staff to work remotely where we can stay safe and protect the health and well-being of our loved ones. We have had to pivot and look to new ways to stay connected and keep the arts ever-present in the hearts and minds of our community. Yes, we are busy launching new offerings to lift our collective spirits and remind folks of how important the arts are to our lives and for artists’ livelihoods, but even as we recognize how essential the arts are to our community and culture, it pales in comparison to the realities many are facing right now – access to healthcare and food, safety of family members, employment losses, and the fears that isolation brings. Our own adaptability as an arts center does not change the simple truth that we are facing a dire situation, and we are not alone. Every day another story of an arts organization facing layoffs and closures appears in the news. It is not only the performing arts centers and museums that are affected. It is the artists themselves who are faced with severe loss of income, exhibits closing, studio tours and performances cancelled. They are hurting greatly. Our world has always placed an importance on the value of art and yet artists, often live from contract to contract barely making enough to sustain their talents and passion. As I share news about VCA, I want us to remember that it is the artists who make it possible for us to serve our community and present their extraordinary works to you. They are the ones who teach our students to dance, who lead our educational classes so the next generation of artists can blossom, who create the art you see on our First Fridays, and who perform in our Kay White Hall. Anticipated Outcomes and Hard Choices As you may have already read in this week’s Beachcomber, VCA’s board of trustees and I have made the difficult decision to let go of half our administrative and program staff. Some will be leaving us indefinitely; the rest are taking a reduction in salary. Every team member is affected. We do not know how long this crisis will last. Along with the staffing decisions, VCA’s board approved an emergency budget this past week to further reduce expenditures. We are keenly aware that this crisis requires ongoing and frequent evaluation. Until we have a clear idea of when VCA may re-open, we must do what we can to protect the financial health of our organization. Last week we launched our Resilience Fund to help us right now. The dollars raised through the Resilience Fund will be used to help us retain the remaining staff and support basic operation to keep VCA going through this crisis. I have reassured our staff that we intend to return to the plans and goals we set forth before our world changed so dramatically. All of them have been understanding and compassionate – they are as eager as I am to see us get back to the work of serving our community through the arts. Many Ways to Support the Arts All of us are being asked to support as many businesses and organizations as possible right now. With no way of knowing yet if the potential government and foundational funding sources we are hearing about will be enough for non-profits organizations and artists to get back on their feet, we must turn to our community and ask for your help today. For our friends and supporters who have the resources to give, there are numerous ways you can make a big difference right now.
For those who wish to show their support in other ways, you can keep VCA and our artists community alive by staying connected through social media and sharing our stories and posts to your friends and family. (Have you checked out our VCA TV?) If you are an artist, you can let us know what you are doing so we can help promote your talents and work – we have begun sharing what artists are doing on our Facebook and Instagram pages. We are building a new virtual community for us all to engage in the arts. Uniting, sharing, applauding, and celebrating artists and the partnerships we have with so many wonderful groups to bring us together. Now is the time for our entire island (individuals, businesses, venues, and non-profits) to show our resilience through the power of connection. It Takes a Village I want to acknowledge our friends and families who stepped up last week to make a gift to our Resilience Fund and to those who went online to purchase our Ticket Passes for the future. Thank you. Your participation is helping us as an organization and giving us the much-needed emotional lift of knowing you believe in the work we do and the value the arts bring to our island community. I also want to thank our board of directors who have demonstrated their support and guidance daily. Their love of VCA is only strengthened by their commitment to see us through this unprecedented situation. I want to give a giant thanks to the phenomenal members of our staff. If the arts are the heart of what we do, then surely our staff is the lifeblood that keeps VCA’s heart beating. They deserve the highest praise. For those that will be leaving us next week, I remain hopeful that we can all return in full force when this crisis ends. These are extremely challenging times, and still, I am honored to serve our community. There is no place I would rather be than right here on Vashon. I treasure the artists who live amongst us and enrich our lives every day. I marvel at the exceptional arts education programs that emerging artists and island children have access to. Vashon Center for the Arts is a gem that we are fortunate to share as a community. I believe in our resilience. Stay well and be safe, Please consider making a gift right now. |