Nachrichtenübermittlung 2024annual report
MyrstinklingoftheextenttowhichadultswithspecialneedsdealwithisolationcameasIlistenedtoseveralparticipantsinManyColorsrecitealmostcompletescriptsofpopularmovies.Afterthepandemic,lessthanahandfulofprogramsreopened.ManyhadlittletodotolldaysandweeksandmonthsexceptwatchTV.WearelearningmoreaboutthewayswecanthrowthedoorswideopenforasegmentofMontgomeryandtheareaaroundus,notonlyisolatedbuttooeasilyforgotten. SinceweopenedourdoorsinJulyof2023,wehavewatchedourArtistsinResidence,andtheirvolunteerFriendsandArtistMentorsbecomeasafe,thrivingcommunity.Wehaveenrolledagroupofindividualsthatcrossesracial,soci0-economic,cultural,andreligiouslines-thediversityofourArtistsinResidenceisremarkable!MyoceisdownthehallfromourstudiosandIrejoicehearingthelaughter,theconversations,theintensesilencethatfallsoverthoseroomswhenanartprojectisunderway.OurArtistsgettopracticecareandkindnesswitheachotherandtheirFriendsandArtistMentors.Theytakeprideintheirwork.Theyeagerlyanticipateartexhibitsthatallowthemtoselltheirwork.Theindividualbehaviorsupportplansdevelopedbyourbehaviortherapistandthegamesandactivitiestheyparticipatein,relatedtolifeskills,havehelpedthembebetterabletondtheirplace,notonlyatManyColors,butintheirfamiliesandcommunity. I am proudofwhatwehave accomplished in 2024. Evenmore, I am sogratefultoHolyComforteranditsheartformission.Forourvolunteers,the-nancial supportwehave received fromSt.John’s Episcopal Church, EpiscopalChurchOfTheAscension,theCentralAlabamaCommunityFoundation,andtheEpiscopalDioceseofAlabama,alongwithagrowingnumberofindividualdonors.IhopethesepageswillgiveyouasenseofthejoyandgoodnessthatthriveattheManyColorsArtsCollective.Rosa LindahlActingExecutiveDirectorRosaFrom
Key AccomplishmentsTheleadershipteamofManyColorsArtsCollectiveunderstandstheimportanceofmeasuringandconstantlyassessingourimpactonthepopulationweserve,themagnicentvolunteerswhohavehelpedcreatealovingandsafecommunity,thefamiliesofourArtistsinResidenceandthecommunityatlarge.Inthisrstfullyearofoperationourresultshaveexceededallourhopes.Herearesomeareaswhereweareparticularlyproud:* Artwork in a number of dierent media that has generated income for our artists in residence.Atourrstartshowlastmonth,ourartistswereabletodisplayandoerforsaleavarietyoftheircreations.Theproceedsoftheartshowexceeded$2500. Seventy-vepercentofthoseproceedswentdirectlytotheartistsandtheresthasbeenreinvestedbyManyColorstocontinuepurchasingequipment,materials,andsuppliesforourartwork.* Measurable improvement in life and social skills.Oneofthestrongestcomponentsofourprogramisthebehaviorsupportweoertoourindividualartists,andtothecommunityasawhole.Specicmeasurableimprovementsinsocialskillsandcapacityamongourartistsinclude:strongercommunication skills, greateradaptability to change, reductionsinemotionaloutbursts,andincreasedcapacitytoengageinactivitiesandconversationsindierentsettings.* Volunteers are 0ur superheroes! Inthisveryearlyphaseofourdevelopment,ManyColorshasdepended almost exclusively onvolunteerstoprovidetheprogrammingforManyColors.Community Artist Mentors haveintroducedourartiststo avarietyofmediaandneartsstyles.
Additionally,wehavebeenabletostartoeringmusicalartsprogrammingthathasculminatedintherstofaconcertseriesforthecomingyear..Wearefortunatetohaveretainedavolunteerteamthatisdedicatedanddevotedtoourartists.* Organizational development and capacity building. Launchingadayprograminvolvesasteeplearningcurve.AftersomeofourArtistsinResidencelostinterestintheprogramanddroppedout,webetterdenedwhatourprogramwasaboutandestablishedamorerigorousscreeningprocess.AlongwithaninitialvisitandindepthinterviewwiththeArtistinResidencecandidateandhisorhercaregiver,weoera1-monthtrialperiodfreeofchargewithafollowupinterviewtoensureagoodtbetweentheprogramandthecandidate.Asaresult,ourretentionratehasimproveddramatically.Onthegovernanceside,theBoardcontinuestofocusonbuildingtheinfrastructureofasustainableprogramwithspecialattentiontonancialrecordkeepingandbusinessbestpractices.* Community support.Wehaddozensofpeopleatourrecentartshowwhopurchasedartworkandthen,donatedanychangeowedtothem.Additionally,wehavebeenveryfortunatetoreceivegrantsfromSt.John’sEpiscopalChurch,ChurchOfTheAscension,theEpiscopalDioceseofAlabama,andCentral
AlabamaCommunityFoundation.Wehaveexperiencedmodestgrowthinourdonorbaseandwillendtheyearwithapositivevarianceonrevenue.InthepastquartertheleadershipteamhasbeguntofocusonraisingawarenessandimprovingthevisibilityofManyColors.OrganizationsthathaveinvitedustoparticipateaspresentersorexhibitorsintheirprogramsincludetheMontgomeryMuseumofFineArts,TintagelBookClub,andFirstUnitedMeth-odistChurch.Wearebeyondgratefulforallthesupportwehavereceived.
“I could not go through the weekend without letting you all know how wonderful Grady did on our work trip. We took him to 2 receptions and dinners and he had to sit with me behind the registration desk several times. His communi-cation skills have blossomed! He did not throw any tantrums and even read name tags and ad-dressed people he had seen before! He even ex-tended his hand to shake hands.…With my mom getting older, we may be taking him with us more and more. is was HUGE for us!”Artist Parent
Asencouragedandexcitedasweare,wealsorecognizethatweareatacrit-icaljunctureinourdevelopment.*Stang model. Along with our be-havior therapist who provides con-tinuity and expertise, we have reliedexclusively on volunteers to startbuildingourdayprogram.Wecontin-uetoreceivenewArtistsinResidence,including one whohas faced signi-cantchallengessincebirth.Unexpect-edly,shewenttotallyblindthreeyearsagoandrequiresextraassistance.Atthesametime,theavailabilityofvol-unteersebbsandowsasfamilyob-ligations and other responsibilitiesevolve.IthasbecomeclearthatwewillneedadierentmixofpaidstaandMaintaining Our MomentumvolunteersaswecontinuetowelcomemoreArtistsinResidence.Recently,theBoardsetitselfthestretchgoaloffundingapaidDailyProgramLead.Thispersonwillprovideongoingsupportand directiontoourvolunteers,ensureawellstructuredbutexibleandresponsivedailyschedule,andwillparticipatewiththerestoftheoperationsleadershipteamtoplanandstrategizeforfuturegrowthofManyColors.*Board development. As we benchmarked with other organizations similar toours,arecurrentrecommendationwastokeepourboardofdirectorssmallintherstyearsofoperation,andtokeepthenumberofparticipantslowaswell.Wearenowatapointwhereitwillbeimportanttogrowandbroadenourboardofdirectorstoaddabroaderrangeofskillsandperspectivestotheleadershipteam.AlongwithaddingnewBoardmembers,wehopetooerdevelopment
opportunitiesforourcurrentleadersandlookforwardtoworkingwiththeCommunityFoundationtobetterprepareustoleadintothefuture.* Recruitment. Wecontinuetorecruitactivelywiththegoalofhaving10participantsintheprogrambyAugust2025.WearedelightedbythediversityofourArtistinResidencecohort.Ourgoalfor2025istoincreasethediversityofourvolunteerpoolaswell.* Financial stability. InNovember,theBoardapprovedamodestincreaseinourmonthtlyfeesanddeterminedthatthemaximumnancialassistancewecanof-feris50%ofourfee.For2025,asignicantareaoffocusfortheBoardandActingExecutiveDirectorwillbetoincreaseourdonorbasebyatleast25%.Wewillcon-tinuetobuildsolidrelationshipswithourcurrentfundingagenciesandanticipateapplyingforgrantsfromthenewagenciesaswell.* Expansion of facilities usage. In October, the Vestry (Governance Board) ofChurchoftheHolyComfortermadeasignicantinvestmenttobegintorenovatethesecondoorofwhatusedtobeadayschoolonourpremises.Withtheinstallationofnewairconditioners,allofthatareaisnowavailableforusebyotherchurchgroups.ForManyColors,thereisaparticularlyattractive,largespacethatwouldbeoptimalforusebyourArtistsinResidence.Ourchallengenowistondthewaytoimproveaccessibilitytothisareasincecurrently,theonlywaytoreachthesecondoorisbystairs.WeplantocollaboratewithChurchoftheHolyComfortertoidentifyandapplyfornancialassistancetoinstallalifttomakethesecondooraccessibletoallourparticipants,regardlessofanymo-bilitylimitations.
Our Loving Community
Statement of Financial Position Many Colors Arts Collective Statement of Financial Position As of December 15, 2024 TOTAL ASSETS Current Assets Bank Accounts BUSINESS CHECKING (0071) - 1 6183.35 BUSINESS SAVINGS (0000) - 1 45,685.59 Cash 0.00 Total Bank Accounts $47,715.08 Accounts Receivable Accounts Receivable (A/R) 40.00 Total Accounts Receivable $40.00 Other Current Assets Payments to deposit 0.00 Total Other Current Assets $0.00 Total Current Assets $48,435.08 Fixed Assets Fixed Asset Computers 1,436.19 Fixed Assets 1,972.59 Furniture & fixtures 593.85 Total Fixed Assets $4,002.63 TOTAL ASSETS $52,437.71 LIABILITIES AND EQUITY Liabilities Total Liabilities Church of the Holy Comforter Contribution -21,800.00 Opening balance equity 0.00 Retained Earnings 32,912.99 Net Revenue 40,674.72 Total Equity $52,437.71 TOTAL LIABILITIES AND EQUITY $52,437.71
Many Colors at a GlanceBoard of Directors:Laura Brendle, PresidentRand Neeley, Vice PresidentMary Lois Monroe, Secretary TreasurerWilliam Milledge, Member at LargeRosa Lindahl, Member Ex OcioProgram LeadsKathy Albree, Artist Mentor LeadMelanie Kelley, Programming LeadMany Colors Arts Collective2911 Woodley RoadMontgomery, AL 36111(334) 904-8030www.manycolorsarts.orgArtists in Residence: 7Artist Mentors: 6Program Friends: 21Weekly Schedule: Mon & Wed, 9-3Next Art Show: May, 2025