Letter from the Chair of the Board
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I have always been proud of my association with MASC , first as a MASC artist , then as a Board member , and now as Board Chair . But I have never been prouder than I am in this time of so many challenges .
In 2020 , MASC completed a new
strategic plan that states a strong , revitalized vision : An inclusive community that thrives through the power of the arts . Our new Mission Statement sums up what MASC does : Opening hearts and minds through diverse , professional arts experiences .
Last March , when the pandemic hit and everything locked down , our ability to fulfil our promise to the community became severely hampered .
However , MASC is stewarded by an amazing team of innovative thinkers . The first action that the staff took was to look after the artists , without whom MASC would not exist . With the lockdown , artists could no longer work in the community . For many , the loss of livelihood threatened their ability to continue their work as artists . It was for this reason that MASC approached various funders to secure 50 % funding for all cancelled bookings - an astonishing feat of support that is , as far as I know , unparalleled in our country .
MASC then turned its attention to the students . How could MASC continue to provide excellent arts programming at a time when schools were operating in lockdown or on severe restrictions ? Knowing how important the arts are in a time of crisis , staff worked with artists to create interactive , online programs . MASC supported additional training and support for artists so that they could make the transition to digital formats . MASC produced Videos-on-Demand to stream performances into schools and support live , virtual artist visits . When schools reopened in the fall , MASC was able to offer an astonishing total of 200 different online programs in all arts disciplines .
We are now on track to look beyond the pandemic . We are exploring how we can offer arts programming to isolated communities across the county , so that all children can have their hearts and minds opened through diverse , professional arts experiences . No longer bound by geography , MASC is able to grow in ways that were entirely inconceivable ten short months ago .
What MASC has been able to achieve during the pandemic is nothing less than a miracle . It is because every single staff member cares deeply , personally , about strengthening our community and , dare I say , making the world a better place through the arts .
Now , more than ever , the world needs the vision and passion that are at the heart of MASC .
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Amanda West Lewis , Chair of the Board of MASC
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