Goal: $5,000,000
Left to Raise: $1,257,000
Left to Raise: $1,257,000
Ucross is at a pivotal moment in our history. The gift of uninterrupted time, free from distraction, in a supportive, artist-centric environment, is increasingly rare. Our artist residency program is poised for further growth, recognition, and success, but we need to invest in our facilities and program resources to remain a relevant and meaningful resource for artists.
Ucross is launching a $5 million campaign, led by a $1.175 million gift by Deborah and Edward Koehler of the Raymond Plank Philanthropy Fund. The 40TH ANNIVERSARY CAMPAIGN includes a major renovation of the Ucross Art Gallery and the construction of a new dance studio and performance space, as well as investments in our program and community engagement activities.
During the quiet phase of the campaign, Ucross has raised $3.74 million, which includes the lead gift and 100 percent participation by our board of trustees. To meet our $5 million goal by the end of 2023, we need to raise an additional $1.26 million; therefore, we are asking individuals and grant-makers to join us in celebrating Ucross’s 40th anniversary by contributing to the campaign.
A gift to Ucross’s 40TH ANNIVERSARY CAMPAIGN is an investment in working artists, an investment in the creation of new work, an investment in the role that Ucross plays in the nation’s arts and letters, and an investment in our goals to deepen our relationship with our community.
Ucross is launching a $5 million campaign, led by a $1.175 million gift by Deborah and Edward Koehler of the Raymond Plank Philanthropy Fund. The 40TH ANNIVERSARY CAMPAIGN includes a major renovation of the Ucross Art Gallery and the construction of a new dance studio and performance space, as well as investments in our program and community engagement activities.
During the quiet phase of the campaign, Ucross has raised $3.74 million, which includes the lead gift and 100 percent participation by our board of trustees. To meet our $5 million goal by the end of 2023, we need to raise an additional $1.26 million; therefore, we are asking individuals and grant-makers to join us in celebrating Ucross’s 40th anniversary by contributing to the campaign.
A gift to Ucross’s 40TH ANNIVERSARY CAMPAIGN is an investment in working artists, an investment in the creation of new work, an investment in the role that Ucross plays in the nation’s arts and letters, and an investment in our goals to deepen our relationship with our community.
UCROSS ART GALLERY
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The Ucross Art Gallery, which is housed in the Big Red Barn in the center of Ucross’s campus, is dedicated to enhancing, supporting, and amplifying the creative work of Ucross’s visual and collaborative artists. The renovation of the Ucross Art Gallery is a centerpiece of the 40TH ANNIVERSARY CAMPAIGN.
Once complete, the renovated interior will offer a two-story central room to allow for large scale works of art such as sculpture and installations. The re-configured space will also include a digital media room; a program office; a kitchen for event support; art receiving and storage space; and a collaborative meeting room for artists, staff, and trustees. An important public extension of the organization’s mission, the Ucross Art Gallery will present two to three exhibitions each year, focused on Ucross alumni, including the recipients of the Fellowships for Native American Visual Artists. Each exhibition offers new opportunities for educational programming, artist talks, public workshops, and exhibition brochures. Entry will be free and open to the public. |
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DANCE STUDIO & PERFORMANCE SPACE
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To enhance our program offerings for dancers, choreographers, and performers, Ucross is constructing a state-of-the-art dance studio and multi-purpose performance space. This building will connect to the Ucross Art Gallery through a glass vestibule.
The exterior of the new building is designed to reflect the iconic profile of the Big Red Barn, but it will offer several unique features. In addition to the vestibule, a set of large accordion-style glass doors will open onto a concrete patio, allowing artists to cross between the studio and the open air. The patio, which provides a stunning view of the Bighorn Mountains to the west, will also double as an outdoor viewing area for public performances. The space will be primarily used as a state-of-the-art studio for dancers, performers, and groups. but it will also serve as a flexible performance space that connects the indoor and outdoor, providing a whole new set of opportunities for our artists in residence, as well as the public. Ucross is known for its writing studios, its visual arts studios, and its composer studios. The addition of a stunning new dance studio will further set Ucross apart and attract more world-class dancers, choreographers, and groups to Ucross, Wyoming. |
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PROGRAM ENHANCEMENTS
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Gifts to the 40TH ANNIVERSARY CAMPAIGN will preserve the Ucross experience and help us remain a relevant, meaningful resource for artists of all backgrounds.
Each year, the 100 artists who are selected for a residency at Ucross are provided with a private studio, accommodations, meals provided by a professional chef, and staff support, as well as the cross-cultural, cross-disciplinary discussion that happens with their peers. In 2021, Ucross began a pilot program to provide each artist with a stipend to offset a portion of their travel and lost income during their two-, four-, or six-week residency. Funds raised during the 40TH ANNIVERSARY CAMPAIGN will allow us to sustain the artist stipend program while simultaneously investing in much-needed program enhancements, such as updated studio equipment, lighting, and furnishings in resident rooms. Campaign donations will also support important program initiatives such as the Ucross Fellowships for Native American Visual Artists and Writers and the Native American Art Curatorial Convening, as well as new fellowships, partnerships, and artist opportunities. |
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
As Ucross looks to its future, it is also investing in its role as a cultural resource for the community. We see the Ucross Art Gallery, the Koehler Performing Arts Center, the re-furnished Raymond Plank Center, the Park at Ucross, the Ucross Chapel, and the land as part of a dynamic ecosystem that connects our residency program and artist alumni with the public.
In addition, funds raised during the 40TH ANNIVERSARY CAMPAIGN will allow us to host community events like Founder’s Day; the Ucross Arts Festival (music and arts activities in the Park during Celebrate the Arts weekend); the annual Ucross Christmas Celebration; workshops and arts education activities with Wyoming Girls School and other student groups; exhibition openings, artists talks, and workshops in the Ucross Art Gallery; and other special events with partners in Sheridan, including “An Evening with Joy Harjo (United States Poet Laureate and Ucross Fellow)” in February 2023.
In addition, funds raised during the 40TH ANNIVERSARY CAMPAIGN will allow us to host community events like Founder’s Day; the Ucross Arts Festival (music and arts activities in the Park during Celebrate the Arts weekend); the annual Ucross Christmas Celebration; workshops and arts education activities with Wyoming Girls School and other student groups; exhibition openings, artists talks, and workshops in the Ucross Art Gallery; and other special events with partners in Sheridan, including “An Evening with Joy Harjo (United States Poet Laureate and Ucross Fellow)” in February 2023.