A month-long fundraising campaign benefiting the Gunnison Arts Center has just come to a close this week. The “Spark the Arts” campaign was the first of its kind and was ultimately successful, with donations from the public hitting — and surpassing — their targeted $50,000 fundraising goal.
The Gunnison Arts Center is a nonprofit organization, which means it relies on donations and grants for funding. Board member Hap Channell explained to the Times that this fundraising campaign was for general “operational funds” which can be utilized in a variety of different ways, as GAC needs them. This differs from “restricted funds” which have a specific, allotted purpose.
“As is the case with all nonprofits, [GAC] needs public support,” Channel said. “[Spark the Arts] was part of a plan to help raise funds for operations [which include] the costs of running a 12,000 square-foot business, supplies, salaries, utilities and a variety of other things.”
Channell has been involved with the GAC since its very founding in 1984 — in fact, he was the original founding president of the Gunnison Council for the Arts, which is the group that went on to found the Arts Center.
“I feel like so much of what forms a community is the kind of institutions that we support. The institutions of Gunnison make it what it is,” Channell said. “The main reason I’m involved is the impact that the arts have on our community.”
The GAC is a community space that provides classes, programs, performances, events, meeting spaces, rentable space, concerts and artwork to the citizens and visitors of Gunnison.
“We have a strong cultural bent in our community and the GAC provides people with cultural opportunities,” Channell said. “Our programming includes classes in performance art, visual art, dance, ceramics, culinary arts, and more. In addition to the educational component, there are two galleries, live performances and events, as well as local art co-operatives that can display and sell their artwork to visitors.”
Fundraising campaigns like “Spark the Arts” are essential to keep these services available to the community, and its success is a testament to the value that Gunnison places in retaining these cultural opportunities. Although “Spark the Arts” has come to a close, GAC will always accept donations from anyone.
“We just completed a $4 million remodel of the [GAC] building, and now we’re just working on building cash reserves so we can program events and run our beautiful new building,” said Channell. “The fact that we met our $50,000 goal was largely due to the substantial generosity of the community — a few donors were especially notable and we really appreciate the support.”
(Gia Wright can be contacted at 970.641.1414 or gia@gunnisontimes.com.)
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