
Dear Friends of Farmstead Arts,
We hope that this letter finds you and your family well. We are pleased to report that despite working within the shadow of a global health crisis, Farmstead Arts has continued to offer engaging and enriching arts experiences, both remotely and now back on-site.
Our historic site is truly beautiful although it remains largely undiscovered. This year we breathed new life into the facilities, by celebrating the opening of the newly restored Dairy barn foundation that serves now as a patio, as well as giving our historic buildings a new coat of paint, refreshing the gravel parking lot and installing brand-new shutters on the Farmhouse.
We are growing and continually adding more activities and events to our already busy calendar. This year:
- We offered 80 virtual and in person art classes. These classes included pastels, watercolors, colored pencils, oil painting, and even trompe l’oeil! We also offered beginner and advanced acoustic guitar lessons, as well as photography.
- Theater returned to the English Barn, a full season of both Spring and Fall shows.
- We are forging new partnerships for art and fresh ideas, with the Art Access Program at Matheny, participating in Somerset County’s Journey Through the Past and hosting a class of Somerset Leadership and local farmers from the town’s Agricultural Board.
- We added two new part time employees to support our growth and engagement with the community. We have made great strides coming out of the pandemic but need your help to keep Farmstead Arts vibrant.
- We even supported Ukraine with a fundraiser that was spear-headed by some of our Ukrainian artists and raised close to $2K for humanitarian relief efforts.
Previous donations have enabled us to grow Farmstead Arts into what it is today and along with COVID-19 emergency funding have carried us through the pandemic. While restorations are funded through grants, these grants are not enough to support operations. We are requesting your help and support by donating to our 2022 Annual Fund Drive. There are many worthy causes to support, but Farmstead Arts is an important one right in your own backyard.
We ask you to partner with us by becoming a member, a sponsor or simply donating. We have wonderful plans for the future and would like you to be part of them.
Thank you in advance for your generosity. We look forward to seeing you at one of our upcoming events. Stay safe and keep well.
Warm regards,
The Friends of the Kennedy Martin Stelle Farmstead, Inc., is a tax-exempt organization under section 501(c)(3) of the IRS code. Please consult your individual legal or tax advisor for advice regarding your tax situation.
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Made possible, in part, by funds from the Somerset County Cultural & Heritage Commission, a partner of the New Jersey State Council on the Arts.