An Update on Strategic Renovation

The arts inspire creativity, strengthen communities, and help us imagine new possibilities. At The Umbrella, we see that impact every day—in our classrooms, studios, galleries, theaters, and gathering spaces.

Last year, our Board and staff developed and unanimously adopted a new strategic plan focused on three goals: serving our community, investing in the arts, and strengthening The Umbrella for the future.

A key part of that plan is investing in the tools and infrastructure needed to bring this vision to life. Through the Strategic Initiatives Campaign, we are raising funds for facility improvements, a redesigned website, and a refreshed brand identity.

Thanks to the generosity of early leadership donors, we are already well on our way toward our goal. With your support, we can complete these foundational investments and build the next chapter of The Umbrella.

To learn more about the progress we've already made, and the plans ahead, please click through and scroll on!

MAKE A GIFT TO THE STRATEGIC INITIATIVES CAMPAIGN

The Umbrella’s strategic vision for the next 5+ years strengthens our commitment to supporting artists at every stage of their journey and serving our community’s needs. As part of our planning, we identified some key initiatives that will serve as a strong foundation for our work going forward. We will…

• Nurture our Ceramics program: Even after a recent expansion to the program, our ceramics offerings regularly sell out and waitlist 100+ hopeful learners. We will be reconfiguring and expanding our spaces to accommodate this strong interest, while preserving the current spirit and strongest assets of our Ceramics program. Changes will include adjustments to our glaze room on the first floor as well as the creation of an additional classroom and kiln and operations room on the second floor.
• Expand our Woodworking offerings: Responding to the popularity of workshops and skills-based classes, we are dedicating studio space to woodworking and teaching artists and plan to expand class offerings.
• Create a Community Studio: This new space will support artists at every stage of their journey with expanded access to studio space on a seasonal registration basis.
• Strengthen our expanded Artist-in-Residence program: Increased studio space and resources will be dedicated to our growing cohort of emerging artists across all programs.
• In addition to these changes to our brick-and-mortar building, we will also launch a new website to provide our community with an improved online gateway to real-life arts experiences.

Architect floor plans and renderings - click on the photos to enlarge

We, the Board and Staff of The Umbrella Arts Center, appreciate the support and flexibility of our community -- from the town of Concord to our Studio Artists, teaching artists, students, visitors, donors, and patrons -- as we make more space for discovery, creation, and inspiration in the heart of Concord!

Do you have questions? Comments? An interest in information we haven't thought to share here? Please complete our inquiry form to let us know!