11.6.0160 Application
Atlantic Center for the Arts, Inc.

Applicant Information

Proposal Information

Mission Statement

To promote artistic excellence by providing talented artists an opportunity to work and collaborate with some of the world's most distinguished contemporary artists in the fields of music composition, and the visual, literary, and performing arts. Community interaction is coordinated through on-site and outreach presentations, workshops, and exhibitions.

Proposal Summary: Goals

1) To provide a collegial, inspirational environment for talented artists where they have the freedom to experiment, the space to create, the opportunity to work with a master in their field, and the time to engage in meaningful interaction and/or collaboration with a community of like-minded artists.

2) To engage the public by providing the opportunity to share in the residency experience and participate in other artistic/cultural experiences by attending stimulating programs, classes, and exhibitions that educate, enlighten, and entertain.

Proposal Summary: Objectives

1-A) To promote the residency program to the broadest community of artists that is geographically, culturally, and artistically diverse, thereby increasing the quality of applicants received for each residency program (600 per year);
1-B) To provide the highest quality experience for artists-in-residence.

2-C) To continue to investigate creative and engaging programs that intersect with the needs and interests of the broader community, including adults, teens, children, and volunteers;
2-D) To serve as a significant resource for creative dialogues on contemporary art in all disciplines.

Proposal Summary: Activities

A-i) To expand Internet and social networking options for residency marketing activities and utilize it as a tool for seeking all artists, including those outside the mainstream;

B-ii) To contract with the leading artists of our time to serve as Master Artists-in-Residence and provide mentorship to talented emerging and midcareer artists;
B-iii) To conduct 5 residencies in 2010-2011, including 3 multidisciplinary residencies, 1 themed residency, and 1 teen writing residency. Three will feature artists from three different disciplines; the themed residency will focus on graphic novels/sequential art and feature artists from two different disciplines; the teen residency is a multi-genre writing residency focusing on poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction/memoir;
B-iv) To continue to provide full and partial scholarships by actively soliciting underwriters for artists-in-residence through the Advance an Artist program, targeted grants, and Scholarship Endowment Campaign (brochure with inserts included in Support Materials), so that residency attendance is based solely on artistic merit and only those who have the ability to pay, do so;
B-v) To continue to improve and upgrade technology, and continue to maintain facilities and update equipment;

C-vi) To broaden the scope of children's programming to mirror residency model programs by providing more multidisciplinary programs, ranging from ceramics and traditional printmaking to graphic design, musical performance, and dance/movement;
C-vii) To continue to work to increase scholarship opportunities for economically-challenged and underserved youth;
C-viii) To expand and enhance partnerships with regional organizations: cultural, civic, and social service
D-ix) To exhibit and promote work by artists in residence;
D-x) To continue to host annual exhibitions of work by Florida children, teens, and university students
D-xi) To exhibit conceptual, and challenging works of art by Florida artists annually, supplemented with in-gallery curator talks.

Narrative: Proposal Description

Atlantic Center for the Arts is an interdisciplinary artists' community and arts education facility dedicated to promoting artistic excellence. Its award-winning facility melds seamlessly with the lush Florida landscape, representing the interaction between nature, environment and creativity.

Since its inception, Atlantic Center has been juxtaposed as a retreat for artists and as a place where the public is welcomed and engaged. In 1991, a facility was opened in downtown New Smyrna Beach to promote cultural growth within the region by providing myriad programs for all ages. There are exhibition opportunities for outstanding Florida artists; workshops for children and adults; summer art camp for youth; summer teen creative writing residency; internships; outreaches to public schools, community centers, colleges and universities; partnerships with organizations statewide; and the annual juried arts festival, IMAGES, which brings 200 national and Florida artists and 35,000 visitors to the city. To better serve ACA's growing public and enhance the interaction and education of the thousands of artists, community members, and visitors who come to ACA each year, ACA's Pabst Visitor Center & Gallery opened in 2007 and has already welcomed over 20,000 visitors into the world of an artists' community and the work of contemporary artists.

THE RESIDENCY PROGRAM

Artists-in-Residence Program 2010

June 28 – July 18, 2010
bit.shifter, 8-bit music/composition
Wally Cardona, choreography
Jonathan Horowitz, visual artist

July 25 – August 7, 2010
your word: Teen Creative Writing Residency
Beverly Donofrio, creative nonfiction/memoir
Denise Duhamel, poetry
TBA, fiction

October 11 – 31, 2010
Themed Residency: Graphic Novels/Sequential Art Residency
Svetlana Chmakova, graphic novelist
Paul Pope, graphic novelist
Craig Thompson, graphic novelist

Artists-in-Residence Program 2011

February 21 – March 13, 2011
David Behrman, music/composition
Diana Cooper, visual arts
TBA, author

May 16 – June 5, 2011
Thomas Sayers Ellis, poetry
TBA, composer
TBA, visual artist or choreographer

A National Council guides the direction of Atlantic Center. It is comprised of 20 artists and arts administrators representing all artistic disciplines. The members serve an unpaid three-year renewable term. Members are selected by recommendations from current and past members, former Master Artists, and staff.

Master Artists are recommended by current and emeritus National Council members, former Master Artists in Residence, and past Associates. Master Artists are provided a $6,000 honorarium for the three-week residency. Round-trip transportation to and from New Smyrna Beach is provided, including airfare and car rental for the duration of the residency. They are housed in a fully-equipped cottage, meals are provided, and spouses/guests/children are allowed.

Residencies take place four times a year (the fifth residency program is a summer teen creative writing residency program with 3 Master Writers representing multiple genres). Each residency session involves three Master Artists who each select an average of 8 Associates with whom to work. Master Artists determine the focus of the residency session and set criteria for their selection of Associates. Associates are talented artists who apply directly to the program in response to ACA's website, targeting marketing, or word-of-mouth. Master Artists receive anywhere from 20 to 150 applications. There is a $25 fee per application.

Selected artists pay $850 for the three-week residency. Full and partial assistance is provided to all economically-challenged artists. Artists are provided with weekday meals prepared by an on-site chef and are accommodated in on-site housing – an individual room that includes workspace, double bed, small refrigerator, and private bath.

COMMUNITY PROGRAMS

EXHIBITIONS:
ACA presents exhibitions by 10 Florida artists annually in its downtown Harris House Gallery, and 5 changing exhibits in its main campus Pabst Visitor Center & Gallery. ACA also hosts annual exhibitions of work by Florida children, teens, and university students. Exhibitions in 2010 include the following:

• "21sr Annual University Student Exhibition"
• "Works by Lauren Lake and Steven Spencer"
• "Young Masters XVII"
• "Master Artists Svetlana Chmokova, Paul Pope, and Craig Thompson"
• "Works by Megan Mitchell"
• "IMAGES Artists"
• "Works by Brian Hiveley, Renee Rey, and Gary Borse"
• "Volusia County Select"

CHILDREN, TEEN, & ADULT PROGRAMS
ACA's programs annually include providing 9 weeks of multidisciplinary summer art camp for children, summer teen creative writing residency, 40 workshops, 15 opening receptions, 12 Master Artist outreach programs, 10 multigenerational community programs, 8 community lectures, 6 partnership presentations, in addition to year-round exhibitions, special events, salons, and tours.

• "Multidisciplinary Art Camp" - 9 weeks
• Saturday classes and workshops
• Creative Education Tent at IMAGES Art Festival
• your word: Teen Creative Writing Residency
• Adult weekend workshops
• Adult classes - series
• Multigenerational programs
• Volunteer League
• Junior Volunteers

TIMELINE
Programs are developed with guidance from the National Council, suggestions from former artists-in-residence and partnering organizations, and input from staff. Master Artists are invited to participate approximately one year in advance. The coming year's schedule is typically finalized by the fall. Information is posted on ACA's website and emailed to artists, educators, and cultural/educational institutions. The schedule posted on ACA's website includes Master Artists' bios, artists' statements and selection criteria. Prospective Associates apply three months in advance of the residency. Applications are sent to ACA, which sends them to the appropriate Master Artist. Artists selected by the Masters to attend are notified two months before the residency begins.

Narrative: Culture Builds Florida's Future

1. Strengthening the Economy

   Atlantic Center for the Arts sustains an environment that values artists and promotes economic opportunities for Floridians while providing an enhanced quality of life as a key infrastructure for its community.

   New Smyrna Beach has the distinction of being included in the book The 100 Best Small Art Towns in America: Where to Discover Creative Communities, Fresh Air, and Affordable Living, by John Villani. "There are a growing number of small communities where local residents can maintain their connection to the nation's cultural mainstream, yet still enjoy a small-town life," said Villani. "These are places that will welcome you and your family with open arms, places that hold the promise of a better life." Atlantic Center plays a major role in this quality of life.

   Atlantic Center promotes economic opportunities for Florida artists in myriad ways. Florida artists teach the community art programs, with approximately 40 to 50 artists/teachers contracted annually. Exhibition opportunities are available for visual artists in ACA's Harris House Gallery and take place every other month, exclusively featuring Florida artists. ACA offers many opportunities for artists to spur their careers. The residency program is open to all artists, and Florida artists take advantage of this as well as the many outreach and public programs that offer opportunities to meet and interact with artists in residence, as well as to participate in the extensive array of workshops, classes, and lectures.

   For 34 years, Atlantic Center has presented IMAGES: A Festival of the Arts, bringing together 220 fine artists and over 35,000 visitors. The festival, held in a Community Redevelopment District, has a strong and ongoing economic impact in the community. Artists and visitors alike stay, shop, and return to the city. The festival attracts thousands of cultural tourists. Mayor Sally MacKay said that ACA's festival "is quality of life and quality of economic enhancement," (Hometown News, February 8, 2008).

2. Learning and Wellness

   This proposal allows Atlantic Center for the Arts to better serve a broader and more inclusive community through diverse, popular programming that retains Atlantic Center's characteristic emphasis on artistic excellence. ACA strengthens the role that the arts and culture play in the area of "Learning and Wellness" by offering children, youth, adults, and elders educational activities of the highest quality that encourage lifelong learning. As a leader in arts education in Volusia County for nearly 30 years, Atlantic Center seeks to better serve the growing public and enhance the interaction and education of the thousands of artists, community members, and visitors. In a town of just over 20,000 residents, ACA's Pabst Visitor Center & Gallery has, in three years, welcomed over 20,000 visitors into the world of an artists' community and the work of contemporary artists.

   The proposal broadens the scope of children's programming by providing more multidisciplinary programs, ranging from oil painting and traditional printmaking to graphic design and musical performance and dance/movement. It utilizes the Pabst Visitor Center & Gallery, Leeper Studio Complex, newly remodeled downtown Yurick Studios, downtown Harris House Gallery, and off-site partners for existing and new community programs, and adds programs in cooking, environment, and the arts, while continuing to provide scholarship opportunities for economically challenged and underserved youth.

   While the proposal develops a new range of programs that seek to mirror the residency program's interdisciplinary nature, including dance, culinary arts, and the environment, expanding the interdisciplinary aspect of educational activities offered, it reaches out to all members of the community and all ages, and in stimulating activities, such as "Cultural Escapades, Movie Nights, and "Wham Bam Poetry Slam" brings individuals from 8 to 80 together for multigenerational arts events.

3. Building Leadership

   No answer provided.

4. Design and Development

   On the shores of Turnbull Bay, Atlantic Center advances sustainability and beauty while preserving the best of the past and promoting the best of the future. ACA is nestled within 67 pristine acres of pine and palmetto, surrounded by 2,300 acres of preserved wetlands: Doris Leeper Spruce Creek Preserve, named in honor of ACA's founder. This spectacular setting reaches back to pre-history, and has shaped how we began and grow.

   The buildings were designed to harmoniously co-exist in this, at once friendly and harsh, ecosystem. These include the newest building, the Pabst Visitor Center & Gallery, as well as the dining room, master artist cottages and amphitheater, designed by architect Will Miller. The Leeper Studio Complex, designed by Thompson & Rose, was completed in 1996. These contemporary spaces are constructed of stained cedar, with lead-coated copper roofs, keeping true to the rustic Florida Cracker-style. Inspired by the site's dense, jungle-like vegetation, the studios were designed as separate structures connected by a winding boardwalk. Both separated and linked by the boardwalk and the jungle-like vegetation, the studios each afford the necessary privacy for individual creative activity while the boardwalk acts at once as theater, street and informal gathering area. As we utilize Atlantic Center's award-winning studio complex for public programs in diverse media, as well as for the residency program, it attracts new audiences to explore the Visitor Center & Gallery and nature trail, and our environmental, as well as cultural legacies.

   AWARDS
   1998 American Institute of Architects National Honor Award for Design Excellence
   1997 AIA Honor Award
   1997 AIA New England Honor Award for Design Excellence
   1997 ID Magazine Annual Design Review, Design Distinction Award
   1996 Boston Society of Architects Design Honor Award
   1995 Progressive Architecture Award: Citation
   1995 American Wood Council Honor Award
   1993 Boston Society of Architects Unbuilt Architecture Award

   We continue to explore Green Initiatives.

Narrative: Marketing and Promotion

Promotional vehicles include a newsletter distributed via print and email (with updates) every four months, and frequent press releases. All events are posted on Atlantic Center's website, which is a source for community program information. Targeted email blasts announce each event. The Master Artist outreach events are promoted to the public through press releases to all relevant Central Florida media, including local newspapers and television. The events are also marketed through postcards promoting the performance, with 1,000 postcards directly mailed, and 1,000 postcards for distribution at various venues. These events are also promoted through the quarterly newsletter, and on Atlantic Center's Facebook page. Exhibitions by Florida artists are promoted via postcard, with targeted mailing and dissemination in Atlantic Center galleries and downtown New Smyrna Beach locations.

To increase attendance at all events, in 2010 there will be increased web direct marketing and more extensive utilization of social media networking. Partnerships with other cultural organizations accessing the Studio Complex will also allow outreach to new audiences while enhancing the educational activities available to the community.

Narrative: Personnel and Partners

Atlantic Center for the Arts enjoys a strong history of many successful and ongoing relationships with cultural and educational institutions throughout the state. Since 1985, Atlantic Center has been closely affiliated with the University of Central Florida (UCF) in Orlando, the closest major state university. UCF and ACA work together through lending exhibitions; use of ACA facilities by faculty and upper-level students for mini-residencies; outreaches by ACA Master Artists (1 per residency); fee waiver for UCF alumni and faculty accepted into the residency program; internships; partnerships programs; and through promoting each other's unique programs. The Dean of the College of Arts sits on ACA's board, as does the Chair of the Department of Art (who is also a former ACA Associate). Each organization is committed to providing mutually beneficial programs throughout the year; a formal agreement is in place.

Other partnerships include the Daytona Beach International Festival, which hosts the London Symphony Orchestra every other summer. ACA and Daytona State College (DSC) have an annually renewable formal agreement to provide space at ACA for a DSC painting class each semester. ACA Board of Trustee, Dr. Hiram Powell, Associate Vice-President for Academic Affairs, Bethune-Cookman College, Daytona Beach, facilitates frequent Master Artist outreaches to Bethune-Cookman students.

Other recent partnerships have included projects such as joint exhibitions and Master Artist outreaches. The state cultural and educational institutions are as follows:
• Cornell Fine Arts Museum, Winter Park
• Center for Emerging Media,UCF, Orlando
• Flagler Art Walk, New Smyrna Beach
• Full Sail University, Winter Park
• Museum of Arts and Sciences, Daytona Beach
• Orlando Museum of Art
• Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra
• Stetson University, DeLand
• Surfscape Contemporary Dance Theatre, New Smyrna Beach
• Volusia County Schools

KEY STAFF MEMBERS

• Executive Director, Ann Brady: Ann Brady's tenure at Atlantic Center began in 1992, ascending to the director's position in 2003. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Journalism from Temple University in Philadelphia. Prior to arriving at Atlantic Center, she worked in Philadelphia, Atlantic City and Orlando as a professional grant writer, editor, and program developer for cultural organizations. She also held leadership roles in women's advocacy and social service agencies. She is on the Board of the Alliance of Artists' Communities and is a member of the board of the Volusia County Cultural Alliance. Brady serves as a panelist and speaker throughout the state and nationally.

• Nicholas Conroy, Program and Residency Manager, is a graduate of the University of South Florida (USF), Tampa, Nick Conroy received his master's degree in fine arts in 1987, with concentrations in ceramics and sculpture. He has been at ACA since 1994.

• James Frost, Program and Marketing Manager, began working in ACA's program department in 1993 after receiving a BA in Art from Stetson University, DeLand. In 2002, he received his master's degree in visual arts administration from New York University.

• Sarah Higgins, Community Arts Manager, joined Atlantic Center as Community Arts Manager in 2007 with a diverse background in the arts. While living in San Antonio, Texas, she held a position in the artists' community, Artpace, in the education department, working with visiting K-12 school groups and with outreach projects in local classrooms and street fairs.

• Grants and Communications Manager, Kelle Groom joined Atlantic Center in 2006. She holds both an M.A. in English and an M.F.A. in Creative Writing from the University of Central Florida. Prior to joining Atlantic Center, she was director of grants administration for the Coalition for the Homeless of Central Florida.

Proposal Estimates

Estimated Counties served

• Lake
• Orange
• Osceola
• Seminole
• Volusia

Narrative: Assessment and Planning

Atlantic Center for the Arts provides a unique experience and is unlike any other artists' community in the world. Most artists' communities respond to the artist's need for time and concentrated work; ACA accounts for those needs, but also provides the artist with a community. The community provides opportunity for cross-fertilization of disciplines through informal exchange and direct collaboration, communal studio space, shared recreational activities, and public events. The artists-in-residence needs are identified by the National Council, evaluations from artists-in-residence, and staff.

Because ACA's mission is to provide time and space for artists, community interaction had to be formalized. Nine years after the residency program was established in 1982, ACA opened a community arts center in downtown New Smyrna Beach, three miles from the residency site, to provide centralized venue available for an enthusiastic community eager to participate. The community needs were initially identified by the staff, Board of Trustees, and a Steering Committee comprised of community leaders. Current needs are identified by staff, local artists, arts educators, teens, and key volunteers.

ACA's programs address the needs of artists and the community through an ever-increasing, constantly evaluated flow of programming. The residency program retains its core nature, but is always being modified. Targeting the ideal intersections for community interaction and participation in programming continues to be reassessed through the introduction of new multigenerational and multidisciplinary programs serving children, teens, and adults.

Narrative: Proposal Impact

Atlantic Center for the Arts is located in New Smyrna Beach, a semi-rural town of 23,000 permanent residents whose economy is based on fishing, tourism and service-related industries. Median income for a household is $35,000, and median income for a family is $43,000. Ninety percent of the residents are white, nine percent are African American and one percent is Hispanic, Asian or Native American. Although not known as a retirement community, a large percentage of the population, especially in the winter months, is comprised of older adults. The local community served is 79 percent white, 15.2 percent African American and 5.8 percent Hispanic, Asian and/or Native American. Senior citizens, a major portion of the local demographics, represent the focal point for a number of programs including outreaches and workshops.

The populations of the surrounding service area are 65,000 in Daytona Beach and 500,000 in Volusia County. The major towns with closest proximity to Atlantic Center are: Daytona Beach, 15 miles north; DeLand, 25 miles west; and Orlando, 55 miles southwest. Atlantic Center has continued to broaden its reach into outlying regions since the opening of its community center, ACA at Harris House, in 1991. Participants travel to attend community programs from as far away as Orlando. This means that over one million people in the multi-county area are potential users of Atlantic Center's programs and facilities.

UNDERSERVED CHILDREN: The economically disadvantaged represent a large proportion of the underserved in our community and a significant percentage of ACA's service to underserved populations. ACA's community arts programs for children target diverse audiences and the underserved, including economically disadvantaged children. Thousands of area children are directly served through in-house and outreach programs. ACA's hands-on multidisciplinary art workshops offer scholarships for families who are economically challenged. Programs include classes in the visual and literary arts, movement, performance, and the culinary arts, as well as an 9-week Summer Art Camp. Scholarships are provided for at least 30% of participating children. The current economic downturn has resulted in escalating requests from families who were formerly considered "middle class," and these numbers continue to rise.

UNDERSERVED YOUTH: Atlantic Center's new program serving youth, "your word: Teen Creative Writing Residency," a summer creative writing residency program, serves a diverse group of teens with economically disadvantaged teens receiving scholarships and travel stipends.

UNDERSERVED ADULTS: Full and partial scholarships are provided for economically-disadvantaged artists who are selected to participate in the Artists-in-Residence program. The fees/scholarships help to cover costs for meals, housing, 24-hour studio access, use of computer and electronic and visual art related equipment, as well as staff and administrative resources, and transportation assistance. Over 80% of participating artists receive scholarships annually, and the number of economically disadvantaged adults requesting assistance continues to rise. Expected impact of this grant is crucial as 30% of children in Atlantic Center's Community Arts Programs are underserved, and 80% of artists (teens and adults) participating in the residency program are underserved.

The effects of this proposal will impact thousands of children and adults in Volusia County, as well as hundreds of professional artists from Florida.

Narrative: Education and Outreach

COMMUNITY ARTS COMPONENT: For nearly 20 years, Atlantic Center has been a leader in arts education in Volusia County. ACA's community programs include year-round arts education programs for children designed to enhance children's ability to problem solve creatively, encourage innovative thinking, and improve self-esteem; summer arts camp for children; in-school programs; field trips; community service opportunities for high school students; internships for college students; outreaches to public schools; cultural enrichment for adults, and exhibition opportunities for outstanding Florida artists. To better serve ACA's growing public and enhance the interaction and education of the thousands of artists, local residents, and visitors who come to ACA each year, the Pabst Visitor Center & Gallery opened in 2007 and, in three years, has welcomed over 20,000 visitors. Through exhibitions, workshops, lectures, and tours, this exciting space allows the community to explore the creative process and artists' communities, as it creates new and expanded partnerships with public schools, universities, volunteers, environmental groups, and tour groups. In 2008, ACA extended its successful residency program model to serve teens, providing young writers with opportunities for new resources, creation, and reflection similar to that offered to adult professionals.

RESIDENCY PROGRAM COMPONENT: As of the end of 2009, 135 residencies have taken place at Atlantic Center, serving over 3,500 artists from Florida and around the world. For 27 years, Atlantic Center has been and continues to be the starting point for new works, which go on to be produced at national venues. While work done in ACA's residency program becomes an integral part of our nation's cultural fabric, it is also the place where the community has access to a world-renowned international artists' community and to many of the most revered artists of our time. Numerous public programs complement each residency. Artists participate in outreach activities and present collaborative and individual works-in-progress at the residency's culminating public event.

Operating Budget

Proposal Budget: Summary

Proposal Budget: Detail

Proposal Summary: Evaluation Plan

Atlantic Center for the Arts has a system in place to collect, track, and assess data for self-assessment purposes. Community program participants, including instructors and parents of children, are requested to complete written evaluation forms. The evaluations are collected and analyzed by staff and key program volunteers. Discussions are held to determine how the evaluations can be used to improve the program. Artists-in-Residence are required to submit evaluation forms critiquing the residency experience. Atlantic Center staff schedule post-residency meetings to review all aspects of the residency–from logistical arrangements to communication challenges to promotional strategies to the residency's impact on the artists and the local community (Artist Evaluation Form included in Support Materials). Modifications and improvements to the program are made regularly, with input from the National Council, as appropriate. The project's immediate success is measured through the evaluations, by attendance at public programs, as well as through input from partnering outreach institutions. Long-term success continues to be assessed as artists affected by the residency assimilate the experience into their art form.

Narrative: Applicant History

The idea of a place where artists could go to focus on their art, collaborate with artists from other disciplines, and work with internationally renowned masters in a tranquil, natural environment was envisioned in 1977 by Doris Leeper, painter, sculptor and active environmentalist, who soon persuaded friends and community members to join in her vision. In 1979, she convinced The Rockefeller Foundation of the merit of her idea, and they provided the $15,000
in seed money that unofficially birthed Atlantic Center for the Arts. Soon after, when property became available on the shores of Turnbull Bay, a tidal estuary west of town, Leeper and friends raised the $50,000 necessary to buy the 10-acre plot. Three years later, five main buildings were completed. Over the years, five more buildings were constructed, and an additional 57 acres were purchased. In 1997, the Leeper Studio Complex was completed. Comprised of seven buildings connected to existing structures by raised wooden walkways, it includes a library and studios for painting, sculpture, dance, music/recording, writing, and theater. The studios provide 12,000 sq. ft. of workspace, as well as presentation space for public programs, and increased opportunities for partnerships. Today, the entire facility, which is handicap-accessible, totals 17 buildings built on 10 of its 67 acres. A 5,000 square foot Pabst Visitor Center & Gallery, funded through Volusia County ECHO, the State of Florida and private donations, opened January 2007. This extraordinary building serve ACA's growing public and enhances the interaction and education of the thousands of artists, community members, and visitors who come to ACA each year. Sited on the grounds of this world-renowned international artists' community, the building provides greatly increased opportunities for the community to learn about and experience the artistic process through exhibitions, workshops, lectures, art and nature trail, and tours.

The residency program brings together internationally acclaimed master artists with talented artists who are selected by the masters. The artists attend a three-week residency session that includes master classes, individual critiques, opportunities for collaboration and private studio time. Atlantic Center for the Arts officially opened in 1982 for the first residency. By November 2009, 135 residencies have taken place serving over 3,500 artists from around the world from around the world and across the state of Florida. Atlantic Center is often the starting point for new works which go on to be produced at national performance centers. Numerous free public programs augment the residency, including artists' presentations that culminate the residency, exhibitions by the visual artists-in-residence, and outreaches by the Master Artists.

Since its inception, Atlantic Center has been juxtaposed as a retreat for artists, as well as a place where the general public is welcomed and engaged. Through outreach efforts consisting of art classes, presentations, partnerships and special events, Atlantic Center for the Arts serves an estimated 50,000 people annually. Atlantic Center at Harris House, an historic home that was converted to a cultural community center, is located in the heart of a revitalized downtown. This satellite facility has assumed a leadership role in providing arts education programs for children, cultural enrichment for adults, exhibition opportunities for outstanding Florida artists, expanded volunteer opportunities for residents, and the possibility for complementary partnerships with businesses, individuals, organizations and schools.

Community art programs represent a significant portion of Atlantic Center's programming. Thousands of residents – children, teens, adults, elders, volunteers, artists, and families – are served annually through direct participation. Thousands more are involved as audience members in performances and exhibitions.

Narrative: Sustainability

Atlantic Center's plan to sustain proposal activities after the grant period and increase revenue in a challenging economic climate includes aggressively seeking facility rentals to increase earned income, creating new partnerships with universities for education-based long-term rentals, and developing opportunities for annual fee-based writing conferences of the highest caliber open to the general public, as well as heavily promoting ACA gift shop items via the internet. ACA also seeks to increase contributed income by continuing to vigorously solicit committed donors to give at increased levels, as well as through the addition of a fall fundraising event. Other avenues are the Endowment Campaign to build ACA's endowment and increase investment income.

Narrative: Fiscal Stability

Atlantic Center for the Arts was founded in 1977 and became incorporated under the laws of the State of Florida in 1980. Throughout its history, Atlantic Center for the Arts has established itself as one of the premier artists' communities in the world – in terms of longevity, fiscal stability, artists-in-residence, and community outreach.

Atlantic Center for the Arts has maintained a positive fund balance every year since the residency program began in 1982. In the event of an operating deficit, the Board's plan is to increase the amount of appreciated value realized from unrestricted endowments. Currently, five percent of the accrued interest is budgeted annually to offset operating expenses.

A summary of selected financial information from the external audit confirms a stable financial position at December 31, 2008. Assets (including property, equipment, investments, inventory, and cash) totaled $8,762,618; liabilities (including long and short term) totaled $786,505. Net assets at the end of the year were $7,976,113.

Atlantic Center's endowment currently stands at $2.5 million (market value). In addition, an ACA trustee has pledged a $2 million endowment, payable at time of death. Endowment funds are in stocks and bonds and Treasury notes in Florida's banking institutions. The endowment includes three State Matching Shares.

The funding structure of the operating budget for 2010 ($1.26 million) continues to be well-diversified, representing manifold sources including admissions, private support, foundation and corporate support, contracted services, and government. Facility rentals for weddings, corporate retreats, developmental workshops, and special events have become an increased source of earned income and will continue to be aggressively pursued. Corporate sponsorships, underwriting opportunities, and individual donor relationships continue to be an ongoing focus of development efforts.

Narrative: Collection Summary (GPS Collecting Museums only)

Not applicable.

Applicant Accessibility

Narrative: Accessibility

Atlantic Center for the Arts' campus is entirely handicap-accessible and exemplifies ACA's commitment to offering programs that are inclusive for participants of all ages, backgrounds, experience levels and abilities. Atlantic Center scholarships to assist low-income children (provided to 30-40% of enrollment) are obtained mainly through funds raised by the 150+ members of ACA's Volunteer League. Full and partial scholarships are also provided for economically-challenged artists who are selected to participate in the three-week Artists-in-Residence program, and the "your word: Teen Creative Writing Residency" program. The fees/scholarships help to cover costs for meals, housing, 24-hour studio access, use of computer and electronic equipment, as well as staff and administrative resources, and transportation assistance. Over 80% of the participating artists receive scholarships.

Residencies at Atlantic Center explore points of view offered by artists from a variety of cultural backgrounds and experiences, thus contributing to the diversification of our cultural fabric. Efforts to recruit non-Caucasian artists-in-residence include expanding the mailing list and advertising strategy to a wider range of publications that serve typically underserved populations and through membership in the international Alliance of Artists Communities. Atlantic Center provides school outreaches in Volusia County which serve local, underrepresented, and at-risk populations. Older adults comprise a major portion of the local demographics and represent the focal point for many programs including hands-on art workshops, music programs, lectures, dance classes, and annual Poetry Slam each fall. These programs draw audiences ranging in age from 6 to 80. Programs to provide art rich experiences to underserved populations continue to be developed.

Atlantic Center for the Arts, Inc.
FEI: 59-1998321

SUPPORT MATERIALS
Cover Sheet

#1) IRS 501(c)(3) determination letter

#2) Division of Corporations Record

#3) Evaluation Instruments

#4) Support Letters
• Stetson University, English Department Chair
• Former Associate Artist-in-Residence

#5) Publications
• Annual Review 2007-2008
• September-December 2009 Newsletter
• Expanding the Spirit of Creative Endeavors Brochure
• Inserts for Expanding the Spirit of Creative Endeavors Brochure