Putting the "Be" in Belief

Art Gumbo was awarded a $2500 Mediacom Arts & Culture Grant last week for the AG Bowls Project. With the help of our neighbor & partner, the Dubuque Rescue Mission, (DRM served as fiscal sponsor by sharing their 501 C 3) we wrote a grant & scored some dough, yo. The awards luncheon was hosted by Kathy McMullen of Mediacom & the Mediacom Arts & Culture Commission and was held in the River Room of The Grand River Center in the Port of Dubuque. 

Megan Starr (AG Co-Founder) & Rick Mihm (Director  of Dubuque Rescue Mission) with $2500 check from Mediacom.

With the funding AG will commission local potters to create bowls that will be sold at the quarterly soup dinners. Patrons will bring their bowls back to subsequent dinners to establish a "bring your own table service" program, move toward a zero-waste event, and eliminate the cost of renting or purchasing table service. All proceeds from sales of the bowls will be used to continue to commission more bowls and create an ongoing revenue stream for the AG project. Our goal is to make AG a more sustainable event by moving toward zero waste, provide economic opportunities for local artists and potters, promote local art, and sustain the AG project. 

Musical guest Feast of Mutton, Shawn Healey & Eric Balayti.

AG allows community members the unique opportunity to not only consume art but also help fund its creation. This reciprocal process gives artists access to potential funding and a captive audience and in return community members are empowered to directly fund a local artist and contribute as patrons. Art Gumbo is transforming the way our community accesses art. Art Gumbo empowers constituents to consider and promote the kinds of artistic production they would like to see enhance their city and strengthen their arts community.

The AG Bowl project will help ensure that this unique artist/patron relationship exists in Dubuque. The addition of handcrafted bowls at AG enhances both the Art Gumbo experience and its mission of supporting local art while instituting project ownership/membership and commitment to the AG funding initiative.

Paula Neuhaus & Megan Starr (AG Co-Founders) livin' the dream.

So, Darling GumbHeads...consider purchasing an AG Bowl at the March AG Soup Dinner & bring it with you to each event. We plan to host a farm-to-table 4-course dinner this Spring to unveil the bowls & do a little fundraising for the project. 

Thank YOU, Mediacom for believing in our efforts & our undying gratitude to Rick Mihm & Dubuque Rescue Mission for continuing to partner with AG. YOU have responded to our efforts, Dubuque & we are thrilled. Spread the word & share the belief.


FYI: Since our launch in September 2010, ART GUMBO has funded 6 proposals raising a total of $4,350 for Dubuque art projects. 


FYI: Mediacom awarded more than $33,000 in funding to 16 Dubuque Arts & Culture projects in 2011.