Since 1968, the Fine Arts Work Center has been dedicated to the effort of attracting emerging artists and writers to Provincetown. For more than 35 years, this mission was accomplished through the world renowned Winter Fellowship Program, which remains the largest residency program for emerging artists and writers in the country. Each year we invite 20 talented artists and writers to spend seven months with us. We give them studios, apartments and monthly stipends, asking nothing in return but that they focus on their work. Selected from a pool of over 1,000 applicants from around the globe, this culturally diverse group
provides the necessary nourishment on which our society thrives. To date, over 750 Fellows have benefited from this gift of time and space; many have gone on to win the most prestigious awards in arts and letters. It is in service to these emerging talents that we all work.
As an organization, we have grown. June 2005 will mark the 10th anniversary of our summer workshop program. We have now offered five years of fall weekend workshops. In addition, we remain committed to our Returning Residency and Long-Term Residency Programs as well as our public events schedule.
FAWC is also very happy to announce that it has entered into an agreement with Massachusetts College of Art and, beginning in September 2005, students will be able to earn MFA degrees in visual arts in an exciting new program. This new program is taking place at time when we are investing more than
$1 million in our facilities.
FAWC underwent an organizational self-assessment this past year. We examined our strengths and
weaknesses, which led to a spirited discussion regarding what FAWC is and our potential impact on the culture of our society. As a result we have re-examined our Mission and Vision statements, re-organized and strengthened our Board of Trustees, and created a Board of Overseers. In addition, FAWC is now committed to creating the administrative infrastructure that will allow us to raise and earn the revenues necessary to fully staff all of our programs. We’ve begun a voyage which, when finished, will result in a far more stable organization, one on par with the excellent programs we offer.
We hope that you join us on this trip—it’s going to be a great ride. What began thirty-five years ago as an effort to preserve and perpetuate Provincetown’s reputation as the oldest continuously operating arts colony in the country has flourished to become a resource of national renown and significance. Your belief in the Work Center and in the importance of the arts in our society will help us survive these difficult times.
In advance, many thanks for your support and assistance.
Hunter O'Hanian
Executive Director
