Why the Arts Matter

URGENT APPEAL – STROUD INTERNATIONAL TEXTILES &  THE ANNUAL FESTIVAL NEEDS TO RAISE £25,000 BY THE END OF SEPTEMBER If you have visited & enjoyed one of SIT’s festival’s please do not delete this without reading.   With further cuts to the arts announced by the new government SIT faces an uncertain future, Stroud International Textiles - SIT – is taking the initiative! We recently wrote to you asking if you would make a donation to secure the future of the International Textile and related arts festival I apologise for writing again, and if you have already made a donation thank you, and forgive me for troubling you yet again. But this is urgent.  Our future is not secure. We have to raise £25,000 in order to match fund to public funders such as the Arts Council and to prove that we can become more sustainable. As one of the 2,000 artists and speakers who have taken part in the festival and our year round skills programme and benefitted through income or increased profiling we ask if you would consider supporting our appeal with a donation. If all participating artists donated £10 we would have raised £20,000. We are an ambitious arts organisation with 5 years experience in the world of contemporary applied arts. Over the 5 years we have become a beacon of international excellence within contemporary textiles; supporting emerging talent, enhancing education, supporting artist led initiatives, boosting tourism and the local economy with our annual festival and year round programme. The 2010 festival brought an estimated total of £140,000 to the District through visitor spend. The political and financial climate is a concern for all arts organisations, with key funders reducing or totally withdrawing their support. Therefore it is imperative that we become self sufficient with income from diverse sources and not solely from public funding. Sustainability is our key focus in realising our ambition and matching accordingly, our income and capacity. The contribution that SIT and the festival offers is a platform for textiles and the related arts disciplines. We are active in supporting emerging new talent and graduate work as well as showing the work of leading international names. The festival and our year round programming gives financial support and opportunities for artists to develop their creative practices.   But we are threatened with closure if we cannot meet match funding for our public funding to bodies such as the Arts Council.   We now turn to you to help us reach our initial fundraising target of £25,000. SIT is actively seeking funding support from regular funders including Stroud District Council and we continue our round of applications to organisations such as Arts Council. We are also appealing to regional businesses and to the public who play a pivotal part in securing its future.   We need you to make a donation to our appeal.   We have set ourselves an ambitious target but we hope that with the support from individuals and organisations we will reach our target by the end of  September 2010. A donation of £10,000 will secure the continuation of the 2011 festival A donation of £5,000 will secure our work in the community running workshops in dance, music, craft skills, and theatre for a year for all ages & abilities A donation of £2,000 support the main exhibition of work from internationally acclaimed artists in the 2011 festival A  donation of £1,000 support an exhibition of graduate work in the 2011 festival   If everyone who came to this year’s festival could donate £10.00 we would be on our way to saving the 2011 festival. Your donation will be invested in ensuring the continuation of the annual festival and the development of our quality participation and education work through to 2012. In supporting our unique organisation, artists/makers, young people, 15,000+annual visitors (2010) and local businesses will also benefit. By supporting SIT you will not only be supporting local artists and young people but also helping to ensure that our unique organisation can achieve its ambitious target of establishing Stroud as the UK's Centre of Excellence for Contemporary Textiles. This will raise the profile of the District and attract growing numbers of spending visitors from outside the District and abroad.    All donations of whatever size will be gladly received and help to ensure that the excellence and innovation that has become our hallmark will continue.   You could support us by joining as a Friend of SIT or by sending a cheque or go on line. Those who are able to make the most generous donations can be assured that their investment will be acknowledged publicly.   If you can support us of course we would be delighted to meet you and discuss in more detail. Please contact our Director, Lizzi Walton for further details on 01453 751056 or by replying to this email.   A detailed Case for Support can be downloaded from our website: http://www.stroudinternationaltextiles.org.uk/index.html   This is an urgent appeal for immediate support but SIT also recognises that in order to survive in an uncertain future for the arts, we will have to increase and maintain our sustainability over a long period. As a successful organisation looking towards the future we at SIT feel this to be a responsible way forward.   You can donate online by going to www.stroudinternationaltextiles.org.uk and click on the DONATE TO SIT page or by sending a cheque into SIT office: Five Valleys Foyer, Gloucester Street, Stroud GL5 1QG. Thank you in anticipation of your support.   Kind Regards Mary La Trobe Bateman OBE Festival Patron Lizzi Walton Director Endorsed by the Federation of Small Businesses