Dear Friend and Supporter,
I hope this finds you well.
During the summer of 2023 you may recall that we unexpectedly needed to move from our Main Street art and program space. But we were fortunate to have our secondary art exhibit space on Market Street. However, Market Street wasn’t a viable space to hold our workshop programs. To overcome this unforeseen problem, we did what we always do at The Collaborative: we pivoted and rented a temporary space for our winter program.
In January we launched a four-week art workshop at this temporary location. The weather was dreadful, making travel difficult. Several students couldn’t make it to every class. One dedicated student, however, battled the cold and snow and took the bus each week from Providence. It was this student’s feedback at the end of the program that highlighted the profound impact our classes have on others.
As a disabled individual I was feeling isolated. I struggled to find quality, affordable art workshops—until I discovered your program on Facebook.
- Anonymous, 2024 Workshop Participant
During the month-long series, this student made friends, connected with instructors, and found a safe space to express themselves creatively. Since then, they have evolved into a volunteer for us and continue to participate in our classes while benefiting from the scholarships and sliding scale fees made possible by your generous support. They have found a community of inspiration and like-minded individuals and have broken free from isolation. This is the power of community at The Collaborative.
We remain committed to sustaining our mission of providing access to opportunities for creatives and the community to exhibit, experience, and learn through the arts. Our gallery at 4 Market Street and our new program space at 508 Main Street, The Collaborative Lab for Creative Experimentation, endure thanks to your support and belief in our vision.
Your generosity is vital in helping us realize our vision of a world where creatives at all levels are valued and supported. Together, we accomplish our core values:
- Education: Providing accessible and affordable arts education for community members.
- Access: Creating a welcoming space for exhibitions, performances, and learning that is open to all at low or no cost.
- Unjuried and Uncensored: Welcoming all art and artists to exhibit with us.
- Value: Ensuring fair wages for creatives for their work.
- Engagement: Collaborating with others committed to the arts.
But there is still so much more to do. Lack of funding this year found us unable to run our free youth art classes (Warren Art Academy). With your help, and the engagement of our community partners we’re looking towards relaunching this important program in summer 2025.
Access to affordable, quality arts education will always be our priority. With your support we will expand scholarships and teaching stipends that will help us to welcome more community members into our programs. And we continually seek resources to help us improve the accessibility of our program space at The Collaborative Lab for Creative Experimentation.
With your support, we will innovate by launching new programs, expand initiatives like our Youth Artist of the Month, and preserve important programs such as the Warren Art Academy. Your generosity also allows us to continue to provide FREE community events such as the Warren Folks Fest and Folk at the Farm. You empower us to take risks that benefit our community, and isn’t that the essence of creativity?
Please know that you make our work possible. Your support drives positive change to individuals and our entire community, creating spaces where makers, learners, artists, and the curious come together to discover, create, and collaborate. Whatever your reason for choosing to donate, we couldn’t do this without you!
With Great Appreciation,
Sally Turner, Executive Director