Annual Fund

Make a Difference

Support from our Members and friends makes our day-to-day work possible — creating inspiring art experiences that enhance the greater Utica and Munson community. We hope you count Munson among the places that truly make a difference in our community and in our lives.


Kids Community Arts Classes

In Summer 2023, Munson offered free summer studio art classes for kids, our second year doing so thanks to funding from the MetLife Foundation. More than 250 students took part, including Jack Scaramuzzino, the “president” of our early drop-off group, featured in this short video as he shares about taking woodworking and sculpture.
 



Art Story

Munson has a long-standing relationship with our friends at the Thea Bowman House, which serves low-income, at-risk children and families in Utica. Belmira Bajrektarevik, an instructor at Thea Bowman, tells us about her experience working with Munson.
 



Dedicated Volunteers

Paul Kotwica and Paul Gonyea are two talented and dedicated volunteers for Munson. They generously share their gifts for teaching and connecting with audiences young and old. We spoke with them about their work with children from the community in programs like Art Story. Munson is committed to creating experiences that enlighten, educate, and inspire. Paul and Paul are great partners in our endeavors, which are facilitated through support from Munson’s Annual Fund.
 



Community Impact with Art Alive!

Munson’s Artist-in-Residence program is exceptional. It provides on-campus studio and living space and resources for talented national and international artists who create new work, teach Pratt Munson and Munson Community Arts classes, and contribute to special programs like Art Alive!

This year we are delighted to host Felipe Lopez, who has already become a dedicated member of our community. We spoke with Felipe about his work here, including designing projects for the hundreds of kids who join us for Art Alive!
 



Thank You

Munson is fortunate to play a vital role in our community, and fortunate to have partners like you supporting everything we do. Thank you for a wonderful 2023. May the New Year bring even more opportunities to gather, celebrate, and embrace the power of the arts in energizing and uniting our community.