02/13/2024
Hello, my name is Willard Malebear (Willard Malebear) and I am the Executive Chairman and founder of Art Shelf. Art Shelf's mission statement is "We Feed Creative Minds to Cultivate Wellness and Unlock the Powers of Expressive Innovation." We believe creativity is essential to overall wellness, and is crucial to a healthy lifestyle.
Art Shelf is at the exciting beginning of its journey, currently navigating the start-up phase as a prospective 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. We're working with Legal for Good, a law firm with specialized expertise in the nonprofit sector, to ensure our 501(c)(3) application is meticulously prepared and submitted. Our current fundraising efforts are crucial, aimed at covering necessary legal fees and foundational infrastructure expenses. These include enhancements to our website, securing our initial location for operations, purchasing art supplies and equipment for community use, app development, and coordinating our programming. We assure our donors that all contributions during this phase will be retroactively tax-deductible following the approval of our 501(c)(3) status, anticipated within the next three months.
Our immediate goal is to establish Art Shelf within the community-friendly confines of the former Unified Theory Collective space at 1415 W. 35th St., Minneapolis, MN. This venue will serve as a beacon for creative supply donations, offering a no-cost art studio space to foster wellness, community fellowship, and an introduction to the arts for many. Managed by a dedicated team of volunteers and Art Shelf staff, we are also focused on fundraising for a managerial position to streamline operations, including volunteer coordination and customer service.
A pivotal part of our mission involves the development of a comprehensive mobile app. This platform will not only facilitate access to our creative supply programs and distribution but will also enable users to apply for creative assistance, track shipments, and access a wealth of resources designed to maximize the wellness benefits of their creative packages. From instructional videos and guided creative classes to interactive community features such as live event streaming, a community calendar, and gallery, the app promises to be a central hub for our participants. Additionally, it will feature a store to showcase and sell artwork created by our participants, alongside Art Shelf merchandise, further supporting our fundraising efforts.
Art Shelf's vision extends to offering both emergency and non-emergency creative assistance through pre-designed packages—ranging from illustration and painting to coloring books—complemented by resource pamphlets and usage instructions to enhance the creative and therapeutic experience. Our online application process will also cater to requests for larger, specialty items on an availability basis, ensuring a wide range of creative pursuits are supported.
For those moved by our mission and looking to contribute financially, we warmly invite you to connect with us at [email protected]. Your support will play a pivotal role in bringing Art Shelf's vision to life, enabling us to empower and uplift through the arts.
