MINT INC
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Mission Statement
MINT’s mission is to make Atlanta a destination for the arts: a cultural hub where artists thrive, patrons experience transformative work, and communities are activated and engaged.
About This Cause
In 2006, MINT was founded by undergraduate students at Atlanta universities to create a space for emerging artists and patrons to find their voices. We believe that art enriches the world, and our dynamic programming, exhibitions, community partnerships and outreach serves artists and art enthusiasts alike. We make space for artists to take risks, be curious, and create brilliant and challenging work reflective of our city. Since our founding, we have presented over 1,500 contemporary and experimental artists through our programs and exhibitions. MINT has proven over the past 14 years to be a sustainable organization and a trusted investment choice for philanthropic interests. In 2018, we became the first organization in Georgia to be W.A.G.E. certified. W.A.G.E. (Working Artists and the Greater Economy), establishes sustainable economic relationships between artists and the institutions that contract their labor, and introduces mechanisms for self-regulation into the art field that collectively bring about a more equitable distribution of its economy. Every artist presented by MINT is paid a fee at the level dictated by W.A.G.E. and our budget. In 2019, we moved into our current space in Adair Park: a 7,300 square foot, light-filled warehouse that we have transformed into a gathering place for artists and arts enthusiasts alike. Our exhibitions routinely attract more than 400 patrons to opening nights, with additional foot traffic throughout the duration of the exhibition’s run. Additionally, we facilitate artists talks, panel discussions, classes, and other gatherings to spur dialogue around contemporary arts and creative pursuits. From our humble beginnings in the Old 4th Ward, to our current location in Adair Park, MINT has expanded from hosting 8 to 12 group and solo exhibitions a year with an all volunteer staff, to presenting more than 24 exhibitions per year, providing low cost studio space and event rentals to artists and community members, facilitating a robust and comprehensive fellowship program, and cultivating partnerships throughout Georgia. MINT primarily serves the emerging generation of the Atlanta arts community. This community includes not only emerging artists, but also emerging art lovers, writers, collectors, curators, and students. We define emerging artists as students who are currently enrolled or recently graduated, those with limited exhibition/publication history, and/or those who are relatively new to the Atlanta art scene. By extension, we reach the more established Atlanta arts community, who are drawn to engage with the fresh, contemporary talent that MINT presents and exhibits. MINT's vision is less related to the mediums of work we exhibit; rather, it is representative of the level of artists we serve and the bold and experimental paths we encourage those artists to take. As a nonprofit art space, we pride ourselves on showing work that is innovative and successful outside of financial constraints. We work to host exhibits that show work that may otherwise go unseen, and we guide emerging artists in our community with financial and career support. Often their work is experiential, interactive, and/or installation-based, not work that is typically purchased by collectors. In making this work a priority, we reach the more established Atlanta art scene, who are drawn to engage with the experimental and contemporary talent that MINT continually presents and exhibits. While this vision was a part of MINT's founding in 2006, it has evolved as the organization has matured, as we have received feedback from our constituents, and as the needs of the Atlanta art community have shifted. Key to our vision is ensuring artistic merit. We do this through rigorous review of exhibitions and programming by MINT's by staff and board members. We also regularly consult and partner with arts professionals to maintain program diversity and a broad range of artistic viewpoints. Jessica Helfrecht, Interim Executive Director and Program Director, has over 25 years of experience in the nonprofit arts sector, ranging from opening four galleries, to leading the growth of existing organizations. This has required not only vision and fundraising expertise, but also collaborative work to facilitate partnerships with artists and patrons, event coordination, and development of opportunities for outreach and visibility. An example of this collaboration and leadership is demonstrated through our national Annual Juried Exhibition. This exhibition seeks to showcase the work of some of the most dynamic and innovative emerging cultural producers currently working in the United States. Each year, a new juror is selected by the MINT staff and board, and they select work through a blind process to ensure no conflict of interest. Past jurors include Craig Drennen (2018 Guggenheim Fellowship Award), Pam Longobardi and Craig Dongoski (both award winning artists and professors at Georgia State University), Micah and Whitney Stansell, Victoria Camblin (former Artistic Director of Art Papers), and Jiha Moon (MOCA GA Working Artist Project, and professor at Georgia State University), and Tiffany LaTrice (TiLa Studios). The 2020 juror is Sarah Higgins, Editor and Artistic Director of Art Papers. Programmatically, our vision is reflected in many ways. Our residency program demonstrates a commitment to deeply investing in emerging creatives working in nontraditional mediums. The artists selected in our last several cycles of the program worked in performance, installation, found objects, and painting, and during their tenure were able to push their practice even further into experimental territories. Our continued W.A.G.E. certification, even in the face of economic uncertainty, also reflects a commitment to artistic support and our belief in the value of the arts as something to be experienced, not just purchased. This is especially critical considering that Georgia has the lowest per capita arts funding in the United States. Ultimately, MINT seeks to make Atlanta a destination for the arts. We want artists to choose to stay here because of significant resources, and because the opportunities for growth are numerous. Through attracting more creatives to stay and live in the city, we will directly impact the growth of other sectors.