3831 S, Michigan Ave. Chicago, Il 60653

December 18, 2009

Dear Friend,

As 2009 comes to an end, the South Side Community Art Center (SSCAC) Board of Directors would like to thank you for the support provided to the Center during this year. It has been an exciting year for the Center marked by many accomplishments.

The highlights of 2009 have included gallery exhibits “Vessels of Inquiry”, “Transcending Violence”, “Images of the Past”, “Demise of the South Side Community Art Center”, a provocative exhibit that included artists showcasing various art forms, “Inside Out”, and the year ended with a group show “In the company of others…..” including several members of our local artist community.

Providing education and programs within and outside of our walls supports our mission. SSCAC hosted undergraduate and graduate level courses from the School of the Art Institute, Columbia College, and the University of Illinois at Chicago. We also taught students from Reavis Middle School mural painting, stain glass works, sculpture, mixed media, photography, and digital music in afterschool arts programming in conjunction with Chicago Public Schools and Quad Communities Development Corporation.

The Center continued to build collaborative relationships with other institutions including the School of the Art Institute. What is now an annual exhibit by Art Institute students and alumnae, has proven to be an exciting display of diverse talent that is enthusiastically received. Other collaborations have included Association For The Advancement of Creative Musicians, Blair Thomas Theater Co., Southside Arts & Humanities Network, Sullivan Galleries, Guild Complex, AREA newspaper, and Lusenhop Fine Art.

Of special note, University of Chicago and Mapping the Stacks under the guidance of Dr. Jacqueline Goldsby, spent the year organizing the Center’s archives including papers, photographs, programs and posters chronicling the organization since its inception. We will be working on a process for making this information available to the public.

As a result of the American Express Partners in Preservation program, work is still under progress to renovate space to house the Center’s art collection and archival material.

For the fourth year SSCAC has participated in the Bronzeville Trolley tour. The tour is provided to community residents, art patrons, collectors, and tourists interested in viewing, learning, and acquiring African American art.

Our art auction is our major fundraiser and over the years has remained a highly anticipated event. This year the auction continued to contain exciting art by multiple talented artists. As with other art organization fundraisers, our event did fall victim to the economy and did not raise the funds that we anticipated. We are grateful to the event sponsors including Blue Cross Blue Shield of Illinois, Northern Trust, Aon, and BP. Some of are other major funders during the year have included Spring Board Foundation, Black United Fund of Illinois, and Chicago Community Trust.

Looking forward to 2010, there are many exciting events planned to commemorate our 70th Anniversary.

The centerpiece of the 70th anniversary celebration will be a performance of the critically acclaimed Off the Wall & Onto the Stage: Dancing the Art of Jonathan Green on Saturday, February 27th at the Harris Theater for Music and Dance. In addition to this pivotal production there will be an exhibition of Green’s work at the Center, and educational forums in partnership with the School of the Art Institute, Little Black Pearl, and Chicago Public School students. Please visit the website www.sscac.net for additional information on the event and ticket sales. As we reflect on 2009 accomplishments and look to 2010, please help us honor, sustain, and build on the success of the South Side Community Art Center. We request your financial support to ensure the survival of this historic institution.

You may make a tax free contribution by completing and returning the bottom of this letter with your contribution. You can also make an on-line contribution on our website:

www.southsidecommunityartcenter.com.

Thank you and Happy Holidays,

South Side Community Art Center Board of Directors

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YES, I WANT TO HELP!

Here is my contribution payable to the South Side Community Art Center to help continue its

mission.

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____ $150 ____ $25

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If mailing a check please mail to:

South Side Community Art Center

3831 S. Michigan Ave.

Chicago, Il 60653

SSCAC is a registered 501c 3 in the State of Illinois. Its federal tax id number is 23-7359897. All donations are tax deductible to the extent allowed by law.

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