It is with great enthusiasm that I have taken on the Executive Director position at this exciting time for the Art Center. It is my greatest pleasure to work with a board of directors committed to bringing a variety of arts programming to our entire community.
Over the past several years, community support of capital improvements to the South Haven Center for the Arts has helped ensure that the South Haven community has a beautiful venue to house meaningful arts programming. By supporting this transformation of our space, donors have made a real impact on our community. We thank you!
As a result of these improvements, many longtime residents of South Haven and visitors alike have entered the Center for the first time ever in 2018. It is with great pride that we have welcomed in new artists, members, visitors, students, and volunteers into the South Haven Center for the Arts in the last year.
By equipping the building with an elevator and restoring the wood floors in both the first and second floor gallery, artists in South Haven and southwest Michigan now have an accessible and professional space in which to share their talents and creativity with our community. Our ability to exhibit high quality fine art has been further enhanced through the addition of air conditioning and an improved security and fire alarm system.
This year, with a grant from the Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs and matching funds from the city of South Haven as well as countless volunteer hours, the exterior east wall of the building has been repaired and the windows have been restored and painted. These improvements have stopped water leakage, improved energy efficiency and have helped maintain our building for years to come. Adding to our improved exterior, debuting in the spring of 2019, will be a new landscape design donated by the Hodgman Fund and Lawnboys. The new design will include exterior space for events and programming.
The improvements made to our space allow for expanded programming and events. Artists from around the country participated this summer in the Tales of the Sea Exhibition, produced by and unique to the South Haven Center for the Arts. The professional face of the gallery combined with our care and expertise, allowed us to present a top-notch exhibition, and artists and visitors noticed!
The South Haven Center of the Arts will go into 2019 ready to reach new heights. Our 2018 workshops and classes for adults and children have set the groundwork for expanding both the reach and quality of our adult, children, and family education programs. We are planning on new programming for artists and SHCA members, as well as community outreach programs, with the goal to engage our community in the practice, appreciation, and celebration of the arts year round. Our annual student exhibitions will be a wonderful start to our 2019 exhibition year, impacting local school students with family programming and field trips that will accompany these exhibitions.
Can you help us with a contribution now as our fundraising year concludes? By doing this, you can help us build upon our success and assure that we will have the necessary operating funds we need to sustain and expand programming while enriching our community through the arts.
You are greatly appreciated,
Kerry Hagy
Executive Director
South Haven Center for the Arts
P.S. End of the year donation can be made HERE
