The Mount Vernon Arts Alliance is the reimagined Friends of the Arts. It is an independent organization of parents, grandparents, and special friends committed to advancing the educational mission of Mount Vernon Studios. We are dedicated to connecting families and the school’s arts and design faculty and nurturing the Mount Vernon community’s creativity in film, theater, visual arts, voice, strings, maker studios, robotics.
Why did we change the name? During our year of zoom calls, connections were complicated and definitely not happenstance. The conversations I had were filled with reminiscence of the time we shared. Parents talked about coffees and volunteering on weekends. They spoke of not only seeing their own children perform but of being a part of an audience for the entire Mount Vernon community. The word community kept coming up. In a community, we get together and celebrate accomplishments. We support each other and build together. As a result of this feedback, the Mount Vernon Arts Alliance was born.
In the name of building community, we started this year by inviting every Mount Parent to join us for a coffee, and I was delighted to see so many faces that I have not seen in person in twenty months. I was also thrilled to see so many new faces, families that have joined our school community this year, and many who joined last year but who didn’t have a chance to experience Mount Vernon Community. I can’t tell you how wonderful it was to hug and laugh with so many old and new friends after many months of interactions over a monitor.
I am so excited about this latest Mount Vernon Arts Alliance endeavor: the issuance of its first newsletter, The Curator. The Curator is another way we can connect with Mount Vernon families throughout the year, sharing stories of our students’ successes and opportunities to participate through watching our children perform and gathering to help the community.
I hope to have many more coffees, connections, and celebrations this year, but we can’t do that without you. I encourage you to join the Mount Vernon Arts Alliance. We are independent of the school, and our efforts will support the arts and build community between Mount Vernon parents, grandparents, and friends. It will build its strength through its membership, and the Arts Alliance’s goal is 100% participation by every Mount Vernon family. Annual membership is only $25, and these funds will be used to support our arts faculty and the artists themselves. Our students need your support, and we want you to be part of the Mount Vernon Arts Alliance community!
Thank you so much for your support, and I look forward to seeing you at our next event!
Desiree Vogt
Chair, Mount Vernon Arts Alliance