Arts Council to stress fund-raising
By Winkie Lee
Published in News on January 30, 2005 2:10 AM
A new year will mean a new look at fund-raising for the Arts Council of Wayne County.
The Arts Council's board of directors met Thursday afternoon at the art center and discussed the importance of energizing its membership drive.
The drive has received little attention since the Arts Council moved into the new center.
Now the staff and board want to focus on building the drive and also generating revenue through grants and fund-raisers.
A steering committee was formed to look at a date for a membership drive and ways to make it a success. Committee members are Bill Smith, Bryan Sutton, Gwyn Wilson, Geoff Hulse, Ven Faulk, Martha Bryan and Phyllis Woodard. Board president Mary Lee Flowers will assist.
Details about the drive are expected to be announced during the February board meeting.
Hulse said a creative way to raise money will need to be considered since there is so much competition for funds.
Arts Council Executive Director Alice Strickland said finding a date will also be a challenge, because the preference is to not hold the drive at the same time that another major community campaign, such as the United Way, is being held.
*In other news, Bob Powell had an announcement for the board: "We have heat as of 30 minutes ago."
The center's boiler had frozen, leaving the center without heat for several days.
The good news, Powell said, was that the Arts Council would not have to spend $16,000 to buy a new boiler. All it needed to do is replace the boiler's jacket, which costs about $1,500.
*Mrs. Flowers announced that the outdoors Arts Council signs have been completed, and Mrs. Strickland said that the county has hired Keen Plumbing and Wayne Electric to fix the fountain in front of the building.
*The fountain will be home to a very big fish in time for the Wayne County Reads: "Big Fish" program. Six local art teachers are creating the artwork, which is expected to be about 20 feet long.
The Arts Council will feature an evening of stories by Rodney Kemp on Monday, Feb. 7, at 7 p.m. in the art center. Gene Price will serve as emcee. A coffee bar will be set up, and there will be live piano music.
*On Monday, a Black History Month exhibit will be hung in the upstairs gallery. It will be on display throughout February.
*The North Carolina Museum of Art is paying for and sending a performance of the play, "Lost and Found," to Wayne County sometime in April. The performance is expected to take place in one or two schools.
*On Feb. 23, the Arts Council will serve as host to a celebration of the Rotary Club's 100th birthday. The four clubs in Wayne County and one in Snow Hill will be invited.