The Davis School Arts Foundation is deeply concerned for the wellbeing of our community and the many nonprofits and artists who keep art alive in our schools and everyday lives. Many of these organizations rely on income from rentals and events. Some have paid staff support, others operate as a purely volunteer organizations. Both have ongoing costs and dwindling resources during this difficult time.
Davis public schools and teachers receive yearly grants from DSAF to support art in the classroom and school wide. Due to the early closing of our local schools many teachers were unable to benefit from the grants they were awarded, and local artists who relied on income from these grants will not be paid.
DSAF benefits from 3 major donor/fundraisers, The Davis Music Fest, the Home for the Holidays Concert and the Watermelon Gumball Music Grant, as well as from private donors and modest fundraisers. We have the good fortune of being backed by an investment fund, begun by our founders, in honor of Patricia Hershberger and Richard Brunelle. We are an all-volunteer organization operating mostly online with minimal overhead expenses. DSAF will not escape some financial loss during this difficult time, but we will remain whole and recover.
The DSAF Board of Directors want to help those who are not as fortunate and are attempting to help as we’re able during this time. As such, the DSAF will not ask for or accept donations from The Big Day of Giving Platform this year, and instead ask that donations be given to other arts and culture nonprofits in Davis, which are viewable as a filtered search via this link.
One of the good things that has come from this period of social distance and separation is how much art, music, performance, poetry and writing can help sustain us, express our deepest feelings and desires and work toward change. DSAF will be quietly working in the background over the next several months to strengthen our organization and focus our direction in new and more rewarding ways. Meanwhile, stay safe, stay well, and look for the small blessings that can be found in each day.
Warmly,
The DSAF Board of Directors