Message from Board President Susan Patz:
 Highlights from the Clayworks Community
Input Meeting
and
March Happenings
The Clayworks Leadership Team (Board, Staff and Key Volunteers) welcomed the Clay Community and friends to the first Quarterly Community Input Meeting, January 27, 2018. This informal and open conversation was enlightening for both Clayworks Leadership and our Community. Thank you for your attendance, thoughtful questions and ideas.
First and foremost, the new Board and Interim Executive Director are always available to listen to you.
Susan.Patz@baltimoreclayworks.org (Board President)
Nicole.Fall@baltimoreclayworks.org (Interim Executive Director)
Governance: The new Board immediately changed the By Laws to reflect the re-distribution of power from only the Executive Committee, back to the full Board. The Board is also determining a way to assure “community standing” in the By Laws.
The new Board of Trustees has met every 2 weeks since October 1, 2017. Members are both governing and filling staff positions as volunteers.Four new Board members were recently added.
Finances: The Clayworks Community Campaign and the new Board raised $534,000 from March 1 through December 31, 2017. The Board has completed the obligations of the Agreement. Over 300 creditors have been contacted, leading to $250,000 being paid to teachers, artists, utilities, MD Tax Division, and vendors. There still remains a significant debt obligation due August 2018. (The 2018 Budget has been approved. It begins in the black and will end with a positive cash flow into 2019. The upcoming August debt is being addressed by the Board.)
Continuing on the topic of money, it remains mandatory that Clayworks continues its strong fundraising and expansion of revenue sources.
An Advisory Group to the Board has been formed, made up of Baltimore arts and business leaders to advocate for the organization and to research sustainable models for Clayworks. This group will organize a charrette (planned for late April/early Mayl) that will include stakeholders and national ceramics leaders. Clayworks Community representation is needed during the charrette. Please contact Nicole Fall if you would participate.
The 2018 Board meeting schedule is available at the front desk. Board minutes are available upon request at the front desk of the Gallery Building.
PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS: October 2017-March 2018:
Sept 26, 2017 -- Agreement for the Continuation of Baltimore Clayworks was signed. Complete new leadership was installed.
October-November --Springboard artists returned and some Resident Artists are back.
November 1 -- Fall classes began. This is because the dedicated staff of the previous 20+ years and volunteers worked through the summer with the expectation that Clayworks would reopen.
December 2017 --The Fund for the Future of Clayworks Campaign was launched by the Board with a $150,000 matching challenge grant from a generous Clayworks’ donor. We will have exciting news to share about that campaign soon.
January 2018 – Winter session enrollment exceeded previous years.
 January-March 2018 -- Clayworks opens the exhibition, Stand[ing} Together, celebrating work from 38 years of Clayworks artists, teachers and founders at Baltimore School for the Arts. The exhibit has come home to our Gallery and will be on view through March 31st. Exhibitions are being planned for 2018 and 2019.
February 2018 – Spring Session classes announced. Many classes begin mid-March. Sign up quickly before classes fill here: http://www.baltimoreclayworks.org/spring-2018-adult-classes/
Mid-March 2018—A small battalion of Clayworks Artists, Teachers, Staff, Board and Collectors are headed to Pittsburgh to participate in the country’s largest arts and education conference, NCECA, National Council on Education for the Ceramics Arts. This exciting conference was in Baltimore in 2005 because of the scale of the Convention Center and Clayworks’ ability to support the conference and facilitate Tour de Clay, the concurrent exhibit(s) of over 100 Ceramic Shows throughout Baltimore. Stay tuned for some exciting news when this group returns. More info on NCECA here.
HOW TO BECOME INVOLVED:
For questions regarding any of the Board committee topic areas, or if you would like to become involved in a particular committee, please contact that chair through Nicole.Fall@baltimoreclayworks.org. or address below.
Board Committees:
Development Co-Chairs - Alan Cooper, Marcy Emmer
Finance Chair - Rima Semaan
Committee on Trustees & Nominating Chair - Larry Sandler
Programming Chair - Deb Bedwell
By Laws Chair - Leathia West
Communications/Marketing Chair - (Vacant)
Facilities Chair - Pat Halle
Advisory Group—George Ciscle
Also consider joining a Volunteer Team.
Contact Barbara Donohoe or Pam Worthington, volunteer.bcw@gmail.com
Facility Volunteers—John Gazurian
To connect with Clayworks Community Liaison:
Marsha Smelkinson, clayworkstransition@gmail.com
At a minimum, please ADVOCATE for Baltimore Clayworks. Share our messages with friends and acquaintances. Digitally broadcast on social networks, and let the message be known:
Baltimore Clayworks is OPEN.
Share the joy of clay!
Next Community Input Meeting is scheduled for April 28, from 3-5pm. Please plan to join us there.
Sue Patz
Baltimore Clayworks Board President
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