Year-End Letter From Arts Collinwood’s Advisory Board Chair

Dear Friend of Arts Collinwood:

2010 was a year of successes and changes for Arts Collinwood. The strong foundation of activities, programs and community involvement has positioned the organization to move to the next level and establish itself as THE place to be to experience the arts firsthand.  This year, our founding Executive Director, Sarah Gyorki, realized her creation could now stand on its own feet, and moved on to other projects. I am pleased to announce that our board has found an excellent candidate to steer Arts Collinwood through its next stage of development.  I invite you to continue to support Arts Collinwood in this time of positive transition by making a donation to the 2010 Annual Campaign.  Miles and I have been sufficiently impressed by Arts Collinwood’s determination and prospects that we’ve more than doubled last year’s donation. We’d be very pleased if you’d back us up by increasing your gift as well!

Making the transition successful underlay all Arts Collinwood’s activities in the past months, but didn’t interrupt its onward progress:

  • Portfolio Project allowed a group of Collinwood’s kids to experience the feeling of accomplishment that comes with completing creative art projects, including the new mural on the Community Center
  • The summer camp was an outstanding success, reaching a whole new group of children.
  • WaterlooFest was better than ever with an estimated attendance of 10,000 people; the Sand Sculpture contest expanded to add beach-cleaning and bonfire storytime, and three excellent free concerts were staged in the gallery and the Waterloo Sculpture Garden.
  • The gallery itself had an outstanding season, with known-name shows enhanced by music.
  • The Café at Arts Collinwood, a courageous undertaking, is completing its first year with a delicious menu and a steadily increasing entertainment calendar.
  • The Community Art Center has steadily built its public and its offerings of meeting space, classes and concerts. New programs will be added during the year ahead, designed to deepen Arts Collinwood’s neighborhood involvement.
  • Interns and volunteers were invaluable; loyal supporters opened their homes once again for the Collinwood Unveiled House Tour, and stepped up their funding of the art camp and WaterlooFest.

The results have been worth the labor, as a recent telecast on Channel 3 described: artists from New York, Baltimore and Boston are moving in to the Waterloo arts neighborhood. Despite the sluggish economy, Waterloo pioneers like the Beachland Ballroom are holding their own, and new arrivals are slowly building. And backed by city funding and a neighborhood that knows what it wants, Waterloo is about to go through a streetscape transformation, of which its famous leaning tower is only the first piece.

Because this central street is now a hub for art, shops and family-friendly programs, its whole neighborhood is a better place to live and the City of Cleveland can tout a burgeoning, new destination location. We’d like you to help us keep it moving forward, for the benefit of its residents, its neighbors and the city as a whole. So we’re asking you to add us to your holiday gift list.  By making a donation to Arts Collinwood, you will help us move this important community organization to the next level! An envelope and pledge card are enclosed for your convenience, or you can make your gift online at www.waterlooarts.org.  For that, Miles and I, as well as the neighborhood, will be forever grateful!

Thank you!

The Arts Collinwood Advisory Board
Nan Kennedy, Chair

Victoria Baldwin Bauer
Clurie Williams Bennis
Lin Emmons
Carol Poh
Dan Rothenfeld
Kurt C. Weaver, AIA
Lucy Ireland Weller

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