Letter to the Public

Greetings Everyone,

We hope this message finds you enjoying the New Year and Keeping Warm on  these chilly days and nights.

We wanted to offer some details for the public on what the Montgomery Center for the Arts has been up to this past year, what our goals are for the coming year, and of the ways in which we strive to achieve our mission.

The Montgomery Center for the Arts, Inc. is a nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting the public arts. We rely on grants and donations to maintain our facilities and provide arts programs to the community. Presently, our largest received grant has been $50,000 from the Preservation Trust of Vermont for restoration of the historic windows and for stripping and repainting of the exterior, an effort that is ongoing and detailed below.

Recent Developments:

1. Closure of the Building: Due to a lack of funds for heating during the colder months, and the temporary removal of the windows for restoration, we have had to close the building temporarily. We apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused. On a positive note, the window project is underway and expected to be completed by September of 2023.

2. Access to Facilities: We are scheduled to have the building open to the public again come April/May 2023. Stay tuned for updates.

3. Intended Uses of the Building: When we are open,The Montgomery Center for the Arts is intended for public use, including classes, events, and community work spaces.

4. Painting Project: We have requested bids from over 20 painting businesses for the exterior of the building. The projected cost is around $60,000 and we are still trying to secure a contractor. We are working with the Preservation  Trust of Vermont on this effort and are hopeful to begin stripping of the exterior this summer. In the meantime, we have painted the walls inside the building and installed curtains for insulation.

5. How You Can Help: We are always looking for volunteers to help with maintenance, grant writing, gallery hosting, outreach, and teaching public arts and wellness classes. Additionally, if you know of a qualified painter for historic buildings or are interested in donating to the Center either with time or fiscal donation, please contact Suzanne Dollois at mca.suzanne@gmail.com. As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, all donations are tax-deductible.

6. What We Would Like to See Happen: We aim to make the Montgomery Center for the Arts a welcoming and accessible place for everyone. In the future, we hope to tackle accessibility, add a bathroom to the lower level, and create a basement space for classes and community work.

7. Recap of 2022 Programs: In addition to all the restoration work, we have had a busy year with public programs and shows at the Montgomery Center for the Arts. We repaired the plumbing system, installed new dehumidifiers in the basement, painted the walls, and emptied out tons of "stuff" that was accumulated in the attic.

Future Plans:

1. Accessibility: We are working on a solution to design an accessible ramp to the entrance of the building while maintaining its historical integrity.

2. Bathrooms: We aim to add an ADA accessible downstairs bathroom and fix up the main floor bathroom.

3. Basement Classes and Community Work Space: We hope to create a basement space for classes and community work.

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We would love your help in making these plans a reality. Thank you for your continued support of

the Montgomery Center for the Arts.

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Best regards,

The Montgomery Center for the Arts Team