Dear Partners,
I’ve never been more excited about what’s happening with Inverted Arts!
Globally, we are seeing creativity changing communities! We now have six small business partnerships with our scholarship graduates; three in Kenya and three in Liberia! In addition to leading their businesses, these entrepreneurs lead annual Art Camps with our partner organizations Mission of Hope in Liberia and Mathare Community Outreach in Kenya where seeds of creativity are being planted and nurtured with hundreds of students! The fact that these young entrepreneurs are planning, leading, and taking complete ownership of the Art Camps in their own communities is remarkable! Success stories like these have resulted in invitations into new partnerships in new countries around the world! We are also excited to begin a Small Business Network where our entrepreneurial partners can connect quarterly to receive business training from professionals in their own communities and share lessons and experiences with each other.
Locally, we are working with long-time partner Hope Academy to build production studios on site at the school this summer so hundreds of students can have access to music recording equipment and songwriting class options every day beginning fall 2022! We’ve begun new partnerships with Exploration High School, The Park Place, and Humboldt High School in St. Paul, and are adding Artist Mentors to our local team.
Nationally we continue our growing relationship with Montrose Church’s Pasadena Campus and are looking forward to Art Camp there June 13-17 this summer. In addition, we are now looking at expansion into the Pacific Northwest including Washington state and British Columbia!
Why the Pacific Northwest you may ask? Well, my wife Kathy and I have made the difficult decision to relocate to Washington state this summer to help care for my parents. Although it’s so hard to physically leave our Minnesota family and friends, we have learned from the pandemic that it is possible to be remote and effectively carry out our mission. It is also a true honor to care for my parents through this challenging season of their lives!
Below, you will find a document that celebrates what we’ve accomplished together, and details the expansion and transition ahead. This plan has the emphatic support of our Board of Directors, and all of our partner organizations, Artist Mentors, and donors have been encouraging and supportive as I’ve shared the news with them last week. I’m so thankful for each one of you and your investment and partnership so far and please feel free to reach out with any questions or concerns you may have.
I invite you to continue to partner with us on this journey helping young people around the world discover that they are made in the image of God, with incredible value, worth and creative potential just waiting to be unleashed, all for the good of their communities!
Together,
Mark Collier
Executive Director
PS – “Save the date” May 12, 13, or 14, for our Dessert Night Fundraiser at our Studio in NE Minneapolis. More info HERE
