2023 has been a year of growth, and what an exciting year it was at George A. Spiva Center for the Arts!
Thanks to the support of our incredible community, we were able to welcome patrons and students to a full year of classes, programs, workshops, and exhibits in the beautiful Harry M. Cornell Arts & Entertainment Complex.
Because of supporters like you, we were able to bring art to more than 18,500 people in our region and expand our exhibits from 14 last year to 26 this year. And with art comes the power to heal, lift spirits, enrich, and change our lives.
In this season of gratitude, we thank you and our partners for helping keep Spiva Center for the Arts strong and vibrant and ask for your continued support in reaching our
goal of $45,000 to help us continue transforming and enriching lives through the shared experience of art.
Did you know that revenue from classes, events and programing only covers about 20% of the cost of running Spiva Center for the Arts?
The other 80% depends on grants and charitable support from donors like you.
Your generous donation builds the foundation for Spiva’s future. Your financial gift allows Spiva to be an inclusive institution that embraces all abilities and helps us continue to provide and work with underserved audiences.
With your support, Spiva Center for the Arts enhances lives through arts enrichment in Joplin and beyond, prioritizing underserved communities, including students in outreach programs. Art becomes a therapeutic outlet for individuals with disabilities and in recovery. Your contribution sustains vital programs like Memories in the Making for adults with memory loss, monthly Independent Living Center visits for gallery exploration and art creation, and weekly ROCC (Recovery Outreach Community Center) classes for healing through art.
"I look forward to this class every week, it's something that I can set my clock to. I learn something new every time and it's always the highlight of my week. It settles my soul and is a positive force in my life." Amber S., ROCC participant
At Spiva Center for the Arts, our impact is broad, from a new senior art program launching in spring 2024 to our Third Grade Collaboration project where we introduce art to over 2,000 third grade students each year, to a wide array of summer camps and classes for students of all ages. Our scholarship program connects local under-resourced children and their families with unique arts experiences, ultimately providing scholarships to make art accessible to all.
"There is nothing more gratifying than watching kids and their creativity grow at Spiva. Our kids are so excited to come create here and make the space their own with their work. Making at Spiva instills pride and worth in our youth." –Stacy Heydt, youth education teacher
At the heart of Spiva’s community programs lies our identity as an art museum. Spiva Center for the Arts visitors see new and exciting exhibitions that are both artistically and culturally diverse. Your support will help Spiva continue to spotlight local, regional, and nationally established and emerging artists.
For 76 years Spiva Center for the Arts has been an integral part of our community. Your donation to Spiva Center for the Arts will help provide scholarships to more children, strengthen studio arts education for all ages, and enrich our community’s cultural life through new and innovative art exhibits, art-in-healing initiatives, and powerful arts educational programs. There is so much more we can do, and we need your help to do it.
As the year ends, we thank you for being a trusted friend of Spiva Center for the Arts and ask for your support in helping us continue our mission. It is only through your continued giving that we can fulfill our mission and continue our good work.
Your tax-deductible gift can be made online at spivaarts.org/give or by returning the enclosed form.
At Spiva every day is better with art, every day is better because of you.
