ROOT DIVISION
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Mission Statement
Root Division is a visual arts non-profit that connects creativity and community through a dynamic ecosystem of arts education, exhibitions, and subsidized studios. Our mission is to empower artists, promote community service, inspire youth, and enrich the Bay Area through engagement in the visual arts. Root Division runs four interconnected programs – Studios, Youth Education, Adult Education, and Exhibitions & Events – which link diverse audiences and interests in mutually beneficial relationships. Our programs not only nurture creativity, but also foster volunteerism and community engagement that is vital to the social, economic, and cultural health of the Bay Area.
About This Cause
Root Division is a visual arts non-profit that connects creativity and community through a dynamic ecosystem of arts education, exhibitions, & studios. OUR MISSION Root Division's mission is to empower artists, promote community service, inspire youth, and enrich the Bay Area through engagement in the visual arts. OUR VISION Root Division’s vision is to be a model of creative excellence, sustainability, and collaboration as it empowers emerging artists to amplify art’s positive impact on society. ROOT DIVISION’S UNIQUE MODEL Arts education and giving back to the community are the keys to Root Division's unique model where artists receive subsidized studio space in exchange for volunteering their time to do everything from teaching art classes to adults and low-income youth to organizing exhibitions. Building deep connections with the community is at the heart of everything we do. Root Division... ...is a stepping stone for emerging artists. Root Division fills a gap in the art world by offering a supportive setting for artists to create their work, share ideas, and take big leaps toward building their careers. ...introduces youth to the magic of creating art. Root Division alleviates the school system’s lack of arts education by teaching art classes to low-income youth at a broad range of public schools and community centers. ... makes it easy for adults of all backgrounds to create works of art. In Root Division’s welcoming environment, Studio Artists teach a wide variety of affordable classes for people of all ages. ...bridges the divide between those who create art and those who appreciate it. As a lively center of artistic production and presentation, Root Division’s events and critically acclaimed exhibitions invite the public to meet artists, see their work, and learn about their creative practices. Root Division is a launching pad for artists, a stepping-stone for educators, a door to creativity for youth , and a bridge for the general public to become supporters of the art. WHAT WE DO: OUR CORE PROGRAMS Root Division serves more than 5,000 people annually, including 800 youth. Our four interconnected programs—Artists’ Studios, Youth Education, Adult Education, and Exhibitions & Events—link diverse audiences and interests through interaction with the visual arts. • Our Artists’ Studios are a hub for promising emerging artists to interact, develop new work, and give back to the community. We currently host 18 artists in studios that are offered at 50-100% below market rate in exchange for their volunteer hours. Three artists receive fellowships each year that provide free studio space in exchange for deeper volunteer experiences: the Latino Teaching Artist Fellows (LTAF) develop bilingual curricula at Mission Education Center, a K-5 newcomer school; the Blau-Gold Studio Teaching Fellow (BGSTF) teaches year-round in our Youth Education program. • Our Youth Education Program recruits, trains, and places volunteer artists to teach free art classes at one of our five after-school partner programs, creating a link between practicing artists and public schools. Root Division provides free art classes to over 500 underserved students in grades K-12 each year. We also offer onsite classes, art workshops, multi-generational activities for families, and free access and tours of our exhibitions. • Our Adult Education Program offers dozens of inspiring and affordable courses in drawing, screen printing, sewing, and other media to help over 400 adults expand their skill-sets each year. We also offer Professional Development Workshops to support artists with building their portfolios, creating websites, and developing practical business skills. • Our Exhibitions & Events showcase innovative work by emerging local artists via a strong curatorial vision that links the experimental flavor of an alternative space with the aesthetic quality of a small museum. Our Second Saturday Exhibition Series presents a fresh show each month representing diverse aesthetic sensibilities with a dynamic selection of painting, photography, sculpture, installation, video, and performance. Each year, Root Division features the work of over 350 artists and attracts more than 4,000 visitors to our gallery. BRIEF HISTORY Three MFA graduates founded Root Division in 2002 as a way to constructively address the challenges facing emerging artists and to remedy the lack of arts education in schools. In 2004 we opened Root Division’s first home, located on 17th Street in San Francisco’s Mission District, where we resided for ten years. Throughout our tenure in the Mission District, Root Division forged strong connections with the community to provide: • Subsidized studio space for more than 130 emerging artists • More than 4,000 hours of free art classes for neighborhood youth • Training for 240 artist-teachers • Onsite adult art classes for 1,500 students • Exhibitions of work by more than 1,700 artists • A gathering place for more than 32,000 visitors to meet artists and see their work • Partnerships with two-dozen public schools and community centers, and more than 150 local businesses BUILDING FOR THE FUTURE: WHAT’S NEXT Go bigger. Deepen relationships. Expand our influence. We envision a San Francisco where artists remain a vibrant part of our community and where all children are able to experience the power of artistic expression. And the need is greater now, more than ever. We will focus on the following initiatives to meet this rising challenge: • Expand our Artists Studios Program to serve more artists and provide an enriched incubator experience. With our new space, we look forward to providing studios for 22-28 artists vs. the 18 we support today. We also plan to expand our fellowship program to offer professional development opportunities to additional artists who will reach more schools in our community. • Launch an Affiliate Artists Program. The inclusion of artists at different stages in their careers will provide more opportunities for emerging artists to develop and network, while enabling Root Division to deepen our relationship with alumni. • Amplify the impact of our Youth Education Program. Our goal is not only to serve more youth (1,000 annually), but also to go beyond art classes to help prepare students for a career in the arts. • Become an advocate for the visual arts with community-based groups. We currently work with the Kelly Cullen Community Center to provide art classes to the recently homeless. This is a model for the future in an evolving San Francisco and we will develop more partnerships with like-minded community organizations (civic, technology, and creative design) to maximize our impact. A FINANCIALLY SOUND ORGANIZATION Throughout the past four years, Root Division’s balanced annual operating budget has nearly doubled with the success of our highly coveted artists’ studios, acclaimed exhibitions, vital education programs, and growth in supporters. Earned income comprises 40-50% of Root Division’s revenue, a notable percentage for an organization whose annual budget is less than $500,000. Throughout our growth, Root Division has maintained a commitment to responsible fiscal management, and our creative efforts have been nationally recognized with several prestigious and highly competitive grants from institutions such as the National Endowment for the Arts and the Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts.