“We learn by practice. Whether it means to learn to dance by practicing dancing or to learn to live by practicing living, the principles are the same.” - Martha Graham
From our 2012 year end letter. Read the whole thing here.
ISLAND accepts secure online donations with a credit card or PayPal.
ISLAND is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. Your tax-deductible contribution supports programs that connect art, agriculture, ecology and community. We invite you to earmark your contribution for a specific use if you wish. Please don't hesitate to contact us with any questions or needs.
ISLAND 2012 programs, projects and partners
- Supporting musicians, writers and visual artists through the Hill House Artist Residency Program. ISLAND is proud to be working with the Alliance of Artist Communities and Earthwork Music Collective to create a world-class residency experience, now in its second year. We've grateful for enormous support from the Begonia Foundation.
- Additionally, ISLAND is proffering fiduciary status and production support for courageous new art projects like the multi-media dance performances American Document and Chaotic Harmony, produced in partnership with the Northwest Michigan Folklife Center.
- Helping to sustain the growing network of family farms and beginning farmers, in a few ways. First, ISLAND is a partner and fiduciary for the Northern Michigan Small Farm Conference. We also are active members of the Grand Vision's Food and Farming Network, working with the Michigan Land Use Institute, a few different MSU Extension offices and many others.
- ISLAND also manages a Northern Michigan CRAFT program, networking farm interns and providing opportunities to increase the breadth and depth of their on-farm experience. The CRAFT program is generously supported by Cherry Republic.
- ISLAND also owns a small chicken processing trailer used by farmers across northern Michigan, so that they can process chickens to sell at market without having to invest in a costly on-site permanent facility.
- ISLAND has also built two School Gardens, one at the Central Lake Elementary School and a newer one at the Rapid City Elementary School, which also finds use as a community garden. We're working with the school districts and the Community Health Department. We've had great support in this from an Anonymous donor who gave in honor of Michael and Jeanette Hayes, and from the Begonia Foundation.
- ISLAND continues to improve and expand our wide range of workshops and events. Thanks to generous support in years past, we now have two staffers working to coordinate events and will be able to host close to 100 events this year, large and small, on all manner of topics. We're proud to be working with the Neahtawanta Research and Education Center to tie in with their work on resiliance building. We also do this work as part of the Transition Town reskilling project, and we often partner with The Martha Wagbo Farm and Education Center on Skill Swaps and other workshops.
- We're delighted to work with arts groups like Parkside Arts Council, Jordan River Arts Council and Porterhouse Productions to create a widening circle of arts performance, support and exhibition, including an upcoming gallery and river show based on and about the Jordan River.
- Finally, as of October 2011, we're working with Parkside Arts Council, the Bellaire Historical Society and the Village of Bellaire on a downtown Bellaire community space, offering an art gallery, workshop venue and mini-theater for film and music performance; a true community hall!
We're grateful to ISLAND's many supporters, large and small, from 2011. We've had incredible growth and deepened both our connection and our commitment to this great community. Will you join them, and help move this important work forward?
ISLAND accepts secure online donations with a credit card or PayPal
Print out a contribution card and add your contact information.
Write your check to "ISLAND" and mail to:
ISLAND
5870 Cottage Drive
Bellaire, MI 49615
"I know that one revived rural community would be more convincing and more encouraging than all the government and university programs of the last fifty years, and I think it would be the beginning of the renewal of our country, for the renewal of rural communities ultimately implies the renewal of urban ones."
— Wendell Berry, from The Work of Local Culture
