SAMA 10th Anniversary Legacy Fund

What is SAMA doing for YOU?

We’re working hard to raise the public profile of mosaic art, establish a tight-knit community of mosaic artists, and support your artistic growth and efforts as an individual working in this medium.  The list at right tells the story.

Quite a list of accomplishments for a group of dedicated volunteers, but we all recognize that the work must be ongoing and directed at key audiences if mosaic art is to gain the respect and visibility it deserves.

At the 2009 Strategic Planning retreat, in the midst of a worldwide economic downturn, and poised to celebrate the organization’s 10-year anniversary, SAMA’s board of trustees decided to establish a Legacy Fund, a “rainy day” fund to guarantee the organization’s long-term viability and help us weather any fiscal emergency. Our target is $100,000. The money collected will be conservatively invested for long-term growth, subject to rules and restrictions governing its use, and will not be co-mingled with general operating funds. Rather, it will provide a financial safety net and give us the economic security to pursue carefully thought-out marketing and membership development strategies that will make us stronger and more resilient in the years ahead.

Recent programs, activities, and initiatives include:

• Annual conferences that provide a myriad of exhibition, teaching/learning, public relations, community outreach, business-building, buy/sell, and networking opportunities
• Staging our annual juried MAI exhibitions in prestigious, high-profile venues that attract new audiences and broaden our reach
• An expanded Groutline, our quarterly journal—now with more features, artist profiles, regional reports, how-to’s, and news you can use
• Andamento, our monthly e-newsletter, with timely announcements and reminders
• Scholarship opportunities through the Robin Brett Mosaic Scholarship Fund
• Working with advisors from the Arts Business Council to strengthen our marketing program:
  • New SAMA brochure (coming this fall) to educate targeted groups on the remarkable beauty, diversity, and design potential of mosaic art
  • Increased promotion of American Mosaic Summit and Mosaic Arts International
• An expanded website, with updated content, links to member and supplier websites, and new Members Only services:
  • Exhibition opportunities
  • Commission opportunities
  • Announcements of competitions
  • Members’ classes and workshops
  • Posting of members’ announcements and achievements
• Building partnerships with arts educators and other mosaics organizations around the world
• A SAMA article in each quarterly issue of Profitable Glass Quarterly
• A dedicated section on Mosaics in The Guild Sourcebook of Art 24, along with a two-page essay at the front of the book on trends in contemporary mosaics
• SAMA representation at Coverings (Chicago), SOFA Chicago (November 2009), and other art and industry events