Statements
Mission
The Art Guild at Fairfield Glade is dedicated to the advancement of the arts. Our mission is to present art through education, exhibits and participation. It is our desire to provide quality art experiences through instruction, resources and an atmosphere of creativity.At our Plateau Creative Arts Center, a facility which encompasses 2,842 square ft of gallery, classroom and office space, Guild members teach, learn, and associate with others for personal development and to share ideas. We serve our community through outreach programs, exhibits and special events, such as our annual Art in the Park festival. We also coordinate with other arts-oriented organizations in Tennessee to support the goal of creating, promoting and inspiring through the arts.Our newly created Sculpture Trail is paved and handicapped accessible. Located in the woods just behind our building, this gently winding trail gives children and adults of all ages the opportunity to experience large-scale art in a quiet, outdoor environment. We are especially proud of this new feature created in summer 2013 and that we continue to develop as funds become available. Our community has embraced this new feature.
Background
On November 7, 1978, twelve artists met to establish The Art Guild at Fairfield. They met in private homes, church basements, whatever space was available to them. Those 12 members have grown to over 100 artists and those who support the arts by holding art shows, receptions, studio tours, classes and trips to area galleries and points of interest. Members at all levels of experience, skills, and interest are encouraged to participate in a friendly, helpful environment and partake in the camaraderie of learning new skills. Through the year classes are available in watercolor, oil, pastels, acrylic, pen and ink, and other media that members volunteer to teach. Photography, pottery, woodcarving and jewelry artists also offer classes and display their work. Exhibitions may be seen at places such as The Good Samaritan Society senior housing facility and The Palace Theatre. There is also a juried show in the summer, a Fall Show, and Spring Show. These events are open to Guild members and the general public to enter and display their works.
Impact
Accomplishments: 1. A new display of art, including painting, pottery, photography, jewelry, woodworking and fiber art by Art Guild members is on display for the public each month.2. The Art Guild provides several classes a week at the Plateau Creative Arts Center, which is owned and operated by the Art Guild at Fairfield Glade. Both members and non-members may take these classes for a small fee. 3. There are opportunities for members to use the art studio, to have free critique sessions which help to improve each other's techniques and to do beading together. Our jewelry artists have an Open Studio Session every Monday morning. All levels are encouraged and even novices may join and for a very nominal fee receive all the supplies needed. 4. The Art Guild reaches out to graduating high school seniors in Cumberland County through a month long display of and recognition of their individual art works in the Art guild gallery. A First Friday reception is held in their honor with the public invited to view the students' art and meet the students and their teachers. A $1000 scholarship is awarded each year to a county student planning on majoring in an art-related field. 5. Outreach is also provided to home-schooled children and elders in Assisted Living once a month. Home-schooled students are invited to our facility and taught on-site. They have never had an opportunity for such a program in Cumberland County. They participate enthusiastically and spread the word. Our studio is now filled to capacity!We take our Adult Outreach program to the Assisted Living facilities where many senior residents live.Another senior outreach program is a monthly art instruction class held at the Fair Park Senior Center in Crossville. Approximately 150 seniors attend these classes supported by the Community Foundation of Middle TN and the Art Guild.Goals for current year:1. Continue work on the Sculpture Trail, located behind the Plateau Art Center. This unique trail has numerous visitors daily. They are walking, observing, inspired and touching the art in the beautiful, wooded setting of the Cumberland Plateau. What happens next is magical- they are attracted to our facility. The Sculpture Trail draws them inside to our gallery where they see the current month exhibit, and before they leave they've picked up a schedule of upcoming art classes and perhaps purchased a piece of unique, local art.2. Fund Raising: Chili Supper in February; The Big Payback in May; 'Art in the Park' Festival in June; and our Annual Golf Tournament in July. We are designated the 'Golf Capital' of Tennessee. We draw a large crowd of participants for our annual golf tournament which includes a lunch and silent auction after the 18-hole round. These four events are our major fundraising activities each year and are supplemented by grants and public donations. 3. With the help of grants and fundraising events, the Art Guild has established a media studio at the PCAC that will allow us to record many of our lessons and presentations and transfer them to DVDs for our members and the general population to purchase at a very low price and use as instructional materials. In addition, we have purchased a large monitor with a projector to accommodate audiences viewing cultural programs, special events, and art instruction. As of Nov.. 2020, the Guild opened our well received gift shop, Endless Possibilities, that features the various fields of art of our members. The Art Guild is functioning normally with face masks and social distancing optional. The new media studio allows us to Zoom all of our general and board meetings.
Needs
In 2022, our $114,000 budget helps to maintain our building and Sculpture Trail; continue Guild programs providing art appreciation, classes and projects for school-aged children, veterans, and seniors; extend our outreach programs for the general public, continue to award a $1000 scholarship each year to a graduating high school senior who intends to study an art-related major in college, and continue to pay the contracted salary of our part-time administrative manager. We hope to expand our membership base from our current 160 members to about 200 in order to fulfill our need for classroom instructors, adult and also youth outreach volunteers, building and grounds maintenance, fundraising and publicity efforts, financial oversight, and our monthly gallery display change. We are totally staffed, managed and 'run' on a day-to-day basis by volunteers, in addition to a part-time manager to oversee our facility and volunteer hosts. Our facility is open Monday - Saturday 9 am-4 pm. at no charge to the public. Closed on Sunday.
CEO Statement
We do not have an Executive Director
Board Chair Statement
We are entirely volunteer staffed and driven, and as hard as it is, we wouldn't have it any other way. What is amazing and almost unbelievable is that everything we do or want to do or not do is initiated by volunteers.
Service Categories |
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| Primary Category: | Arts, Culture & Humanities - Arts Services |
| Secondary Category: | Education - Adult Education |
| Tertiary Category: | Public & Societal Benefit - |
Areas Served
Serves Cumberland County and surrounding area with diverse outreach programs in the arts in all media, all ages and types of artist media. Schools reached are in Crossville.
| TN - Cumberland |
