Shining Light on Midtown: “The Work Continues!”

Lisa B. Kelley, Administrative Executive for MAD, sat down with us to recap our MAD Shining Light on Midtown effort. Five crucial components—Leadership, Community, Inspiration, Opportunity, Celebration—highlighted the MAD mission and the vital role our nonprofit organization plays in Midtown Kingston. We wanted to shine a light on how MAD and its arts education program, The D.R.A.W., are working to encourage people of all ages in our community to appreciate and participate in art-making. We hoped to inspire people to support our mission by teaching, volunteering, signing up for classes, or making a donation.

Though Shining Light on Midtown was initially conceived as a year-end fundraising campaign, Kelley says, “The work continues! The D.R.A.W. had to postpone classes until mid-February/March due to the COVID-19 infection rate. Class tuition is an important revenue stream to maintain the studio and pay teaching artists. Our studio overhead is unchanged, so we definitely can use your support to keep the lights and heat on.”

I’m deeply moved by the spirit of mutual aid that has taken root during the pandemic, and it has radiated towards our work at MAD with volunteerism, as well as monetary and art supply donations. These gifts feed our community’s creative spirit and that is priceless.

She says the MAD Board of Directors feels very inspired by the generosity and kindness demonstrated by our community in both actions and donations. “I’m deeply moved by the spirit of mutual aid that has taken root during the pandemic, and it has radiated towards our work at MAD with volunteerism, as well as monetary and art supply donations. These gifts feed our community’s creative spirit and that is priceless.”

The initial fundraising goal proposed to the MAD Board was $10,000, the first stake in the ground of a planned and meaningful campaign that will be ongoing. “We raised 77% more than we did in 2019. Everyone was pleased with the response to our establishing the Scholarship Fund for The D.R.A.W. classes. Though we were not surprised—it’s a great cause for the community and always has been—this campaign really helped push it out to the community in a meaningful way.

“We had some large donations, and we are appreciative of the significant donations made by our local art businesses and artists. These artists and art businesses really ‘get it’: art education is valuable and meaningful,” she continues. “There was also a lovely amount of small donations between $10-25. One donor wrote a note to our Board of Directors that said, ‘Thank you for the beautiful work especially during the pandemic’.”

Given all the challenges everyone is facing during this time of COVID-19, it’s heartening to see the strength of healthy support for the arts in Midtown.

Thank you for your generosity! If you would like to make a contribution to Shining Light on Midtown, please click here.