Abacoa & Alton Neighbors December 2020

D e c e m b e r 2 0 2 0 | Abacoa &Alton N E I G H B O R S 29 The Lighthouse ArtCenter (LAC) welcomed a sizable grant from the Cornelia T. Bailey Foundation and an anonymous donor to help cover the cost of modernizing their gallery and school of art facilities. The Cornelia T. Bailey Foundation, known for its commitment to the arts, donated $300K and an anonymous donor pledged a $200K dollar-for-dollar matching gift challenge. The exciting renovations are currently underway in the newly renamed Gallery and 2D Studio which is scheduled to reopen in January 2021 with a season full of enriching and diverse exhibitions. The school renovations have been completed and in-person and virtual classes are currently in session at the refreshed facility. Those interested in learning more about the matching gift challenge and naming opportunities should contact Sue Snyder at susan@ lightousearts.org or call 561-746-3101. “We are so grateful for our community’s investment in the Lighthouse ArtCenter. Now, more than ever, we need art to serve as a vital and therapeutic outlet of connection, joy, and healing. These grants allow us to transform our facilities to improve our art education programs and create a more functional and aesthetically appealing gallery for our members and visitors to enjoy.” says Sue Snyder, Lighthouse ArtCenter’s Development Director. “It’s an exciting time and we have many opportunities for the community to get involved and be an important part of the history of the LAC.” The extensive interior renovations will reconfigure and update both the gallery and school facilities. The 7,500 square foot Gallery and 2D Studio will contain three new classroom studios, a 3,200 square foot modernized exhibition space, a refreshed Gift Shop and Art Supply Store, and upgraded staff and public areas. The space will have all new flooring, an exposed fourteen foot ceiling, and new lighting. The school of art renovations include reconfigured classroom studios, new lighting, tile, and paint. The renovations pave the way for new programs such as computer design and art therapy, and all classrooms will have virtual learning technologies. Thanks to another grant from the Wheels in the Woods Foundation, a traditional chickee hut has been added to provide outdoor classroom space that will particularly accommodate students with accessibility challenges. Lighthouse ArtCenter has provided uninterrupted art and cultural programming for over fifty years. It serves over 900 members and 22,000 visitors from its three-building campus in Tequesta. LAC offers beginner to advanced youth and adult art classes and workshops in drawing, painting, ceramics, sculpture, fused glass, jewelry and metalsmithing, photography, textiles and more. The LAC hosts over 45 unique exhibitions and cultural events annually and is a cultural gathering place for the community. Throughout the renovation, virtual exhibitions will continue to be offered. The LAC campaign to add a second floor has become a phased plan, with the first phase focusing on renovating the current square footage. Fundraising continues for the second floor addition. For more information, visit: www.lighthousearts.org. Grants Foster Modernization of the Lighthouse ArtCenter 300K Grant from the Cornelia T. Bailey Foundation and a 200K anonymous dollar-for-dollar matching gift challenge will help modernize facilities By Laura Zele COMMUNITY NEWS Art from Carolyn Austin’s Glass Fusion class Newly built outdoor classroom for Art Classes Wheel Throwing