To the Editor:
On behalf of the McLean Project for the Arts (MPA), I would like to thank the McLean community for another year of enthusiastic support of MPAartfest. On Sunday, Oct. 6, McLean Central Park came alive with 49 juried artists, live musical performances, Open Studio, children’s art and art education and delicious food and drink as nearly 6,000 local residents gathered to celebrate the 7th annual MPAartfest. It was a wonderful day that fulfilled MPA’s goal of "connecting art and community".
MPA is especially indebted to its MPAartfest Event Partners for 2013, the McLean Community Center, and the Fairfax County Park Authority, Co-Event Sponsor Capital One and Innovation Station Sponsor TTR Sotheby’s International and the Office of Dranesville Supervisor John Foust. Their tremendous support and assistance was invaluable.
MPAartfest was successful thanks to our volunteers, sponsors and the many community organizations that provided funds, in-kind donations and hands-on labor to make MPAartfest possible. In total, more than 200 volunteers planned and worked on MPAartfest alongside MPA’s small, dedicated staff.
The McLean Community Foundation provided underwriting for the Children’s ArtWalk, an exhibition of more than 150 works of art by school children from 15 McLean public and private elementary schools, and the New Dominion Women’s Club organized and installed the fantastic exhibition. TTR Sotheby’s International Realty sponsored and organized Innovation Station Art Tent, where hundreds flexed their imaginations as they created their own still lives and portraits in our MPA Renaissance Atelier. The Friends of the McLean Community Center helped underwrite the MPA ArtReach Tent sponsored by Capital One, showcasing works by MPA’s outreach art education program with at risk youth, senior citizens and developmentally disabled. Scott Ramminger and the Crawstickers, Ukelele Phil and the Hula Kids, The Exceptions as well as newcomers The Indigo Project, Madeleine Chalk, Alexa Noelle Topetzes and Daniel Wrigley contributed outstanding musical performances from the Gazebo Stage throughout the day, while the Woman's Club of McLean and the Rotary Club of McLean provided volunteers and the Montessori School of McLean provided shuttle bus transportation. Once again, the Boy Scouts camped overnight to protect the park, and many local teens pitched in to help, fulfilling their community service requirements.
We thank the local press and the McLean Auxiliary Police Department.
We offer special thanks to MPAartfest Honorary Chair Rip Sullivan, Dranesville’s new representative on the Fairfax County Park Authority Board, for his leadership, vision and commitment to build awareness of MPAartfest in the community. We are grateful to Harth, J. Gilbert's, Seasons 52 and Windows Catering Company for their support of the MPAartfest Soiree fundraiser and Ann and Jeff Goettman who so generously hosted the event in their beautiful McLean home to benefit MPA programs and exhibitions.
Many thanks go to our sponsors, listed on www.mpaart.org. Without their help MPA could not provide this free event to the community, nor allow the artists to keep 100 percent of their sales. As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, MPA must look to private sources to raise the majority of the funds needed for its operations, programs, exhibitions, and of course, to bring MPAartfest to McLean.
Thank you McLean! Please visit us at the MPA galleries located at the top of the McLean Community Center. We don’t want to wait until MPAartfest 2014 to see you again!
Bill DuBose, Chair
MPA Board of Directors