When life gives you lemons . . . make a new community newsletter.

You may have heard the news: for the first time in our nearly fifty-year history, VCCA has decided to temporarily close its doors to Fellows. When we first announced our closure in response to COVID-19, we also announced a hopeful plan to reopen as early as May. As the global picture of this pandemic has come into sharper focus, we’re preparing for the reality of a longer pause in our residency programs. We promise to keep you updated as the world changes rapidly around us.

Despite the disruptive force of COVID-19, some things remain constant. Among them are the value of the VCCA community and a standing invitation from Sheila Pleasants for Fellows and staff to gather on Wednesday afternoons for lemonade and fellowship.
Illustration by Lilianne Milgrom
With that in mind, we'll be coming to your inbox each Wednesday at 4:30 p.m. with a new VCCA newsletter focused on keeping our community connected as we eagerly await the moment we can responsibly welcome Fellows back to Mt. San Angelo and Moulin Ă  Nef.

Each newsletter will feature a collection of updates from Fellows, staff members, and/or supporters.

Fellows are invited to share how they’re navigating these strange times as artists and humans. We'd love to hear about recent work or current projects; online readings, gallery tours, concerts, etc.; strategies for tackling creative work at home; reading/watching/listening recommendations; helpful resources; fond memories of VCCA; and more. Want to be featured? Complete this form!

Staff will be keeping busy (remotely and/or at safe social distance) during the “closure” and look forward to updating everyone about our long list of maintenance projects around the property, fundraising efforts, online community engagement initiatives, photos from a quiet Mt. San Angelo and Moulin à Nef , and possibly coworker pets. And, of course, we’ll be answering all your practical questions about applications, residencies, and fellowships affected by the temporary closure.

Supporters are invited to share a message about why they give to VCCA. Fellows and donors don’t often get a chance to hear from one another, and we look forward to giving voice to the generous contributors who keep VCCA moving forward. Want to be featured? Complete this form!  

We’ll also use this newsletter as a space to promote other online gatherings, live streams, group chats, etc. that embody the virtual spirit of Wednesday Lemonade. For instance, you can head on over to Facebook right now for a live video tour and chat with Sheila at Mt. San Angelo.

We’re dreaming up new ways VCCA can help connect and support artists during our closure, so please stay tuned!
Pictured: Illustration by VCCA Fellow Lilianne Milgrom
Not thirsty for our new weekly newsletter?
We look forward to keeping in regular communication through our temporary closure, but just let us know if weekly emails are too much for you. Email kdoty@vcca.com , and we'll unsubscribe you from this particular email list.
#VCCAFellows spread art, not coronavirus.
Let's look out for one another by staying home and sharing art. Tag VCCA in your artsy social media posts ( @vacenterforthecreativearts on Facebook and Instagram; @vcca on Twitter), and use the hashtag #VCCAFellows so we can all tune in to what our community is creating and thinking about right now. VCCA will be especially eager to like / share / repost / retweet posts with connections to your VCCA residencies.
🧡 Stay safe, and be well.