Help art !! HMOCA - YEAR-END - FUNDRAISER!

GO TO OUR CAMPAIGN              INDIEGOGO LINK

We want to raise $30,000 in 30 days, and you can help!

Raising $30,000 by November 30 will allow us to continue our wonderful theater, music, and arts programs. For 47 years we have provided fine arts exhibitions and extraordinary theater and music performances to all of East Hawaii. We want to continue the tradition of providing art exhibits, low cost arts performances and arts education to our community, but IT TAKES YOU TO SUPPORT OUR EFFORTS!

Give the gift of ART to Hilo - Make a contribution to the East Hawai`i Cultural Council, and Hawai`i Museum of Contemporary Art, and receive a mahalo makana of art - which you can keep for yourself OR get a jump on holiday gift giving!                                                                                                                     By making a contribution to EHCC/HMOCA you are insuring that our community continues to receive the benefits of participation in the arts and arts education. Every contributor will receive a surprise gift that you or a loved one will treasure.

The East Hawai`i Cultural Council has been a huge part of Hilo's culture and arts scene for 47 years. That's a LOT of dedication on the part of the many volunteers like you who have made EHCC the center for arts and culture. Donations by people like YOU make all the difference! So, we thank you for all your kokua over the years, and look forward to your continued support.

As you know federal, state and county funding is now greatly reduced and we depend on public support to make our programs successful. EHCC/HMOCA is a private arts organization run by volunteers. All of the funds we receive go into programs. We have no paid staff.

Aloha!

My name is Lourdan Kimbrell, President of the EHCC Board of Directors and acting Director of the Hawaii Museum of Contemporary Art. I’ve been an arts educator for over 30 years in the San Francisco Bay Area teaching at California College of Art, Sonoma State University, and San Francisco Art Institute among other arts facilities. As an arts administrator instrumental in establishing non for profit arts centers in San Francisco Area, I’m proud to be able to bring my expertise to the Hawaii Museum of Contemporary Art as I believe that this community deserves a first rate arts and cultural institution. Through my efforts we have been accepted by the Alliance of American Museums for their assessment and accreditation program which will enable us to provide professionally guided programs and events in Hilo.

What We've Done

A lot is happening to the old East Hawaii Cultural Center which has a new name,Hawaii Museum of Contemporary Art ~ a new organization, a new mission and a new face. We are undergoing a lot of renovations to the buildings at our downtown Hilo site. We are working on a $50,000 window replacement and restoration project through a grant from Historic Hawaii Foundation.

The buildings on our site, once the Central Police Offices, Municipal Court and temporary holding jail, are on the National Register of Historic Places, In addition to the window renovations we are currently planning:

  • New and improved classroom spaces with upgraded lighting.
  • New rehearsal space.
  • Artist in residence apartment
  • Certified kitchen
  • New gallery for photography exhibitions.
  • On site museum store featuring the best of the best of local art and handmade
  • womens accessories and jewelry.
  • Plus a new Lanai Coffee Bar for your enjoyment.

We/re also developing new exciting classes for keiki, students, adults and retired folks so they have access to the highest level of extended arts education possible. We are engaging new professional teachers who are masters of their craft and we hope to develop a jewelry and textile design department. We, of course, will continue to provide excellent classes in photography, theater, voice training, yoga, martial arts, and much much more.

Take a look at www.EHCC.org.

Artists Contribute to the Community

We want to continue giving experienced artists a supportive venue, and to continue facilitating young artists who are just starting out.

For many Hawai`i Island artists who came of age in the past 50 years, EHCC helped them to get their start and to grow professionally.

Our artists, in both performing and visual fields, are strong contributors to Hawai`i Island's economy, and are among the island's leaders in promoting environmental awareness. The arts bring awareness, and it is a renewable resource!

Help us to keep enriching our community by donating now.

If you would like to see the specifics of how we exercise stewardship over our funding, please contact the EHCC office at 961-9711 to schedule an appointment.

You are the Key to Our Success!

Through your generous contributions we can keep the dream alive. Remember, it was the East Hawaii Community who created this facility 47 years ago. It is your premier arts facility and we need your help.

What We Need

We began the year in the clear, and want to end it the same way. As we all know, the great programs we facilitate cost money. While all of the programs give value to our community, not all of them generate income. So we rely on donors like you to help us continue to serve Hilo and Hawai`i Island.

The first $30,000 we receive will be used for renovations of our buildings to ensure that they are handicapped accessible and that we have comfortable updated bathrooms.

Your contributions will provide us with the funds to:

  • Renovate our main exhibition rooms with new paint and repairs.
  • Build new updated walls throughout the galleries that will be bright, clean, and uniform bringing a new fresher appearance to the exhibitions.
  • Establish a new jewelry and textile design center attracting professional staff as well as enabling visiting artists and craftspeople a place to stay on site while they teach workshops.
  • Complete a certified kitchen which will allow us to bring in visiting chefs who will teach culinary arts. In addition, we will be able to hold weddings and receptions utilizing the wonderful space that we occupy and integrating Kalakaua Park.

Should we fall short of the $30,000 in this funding drive, all of the funds received will go into our current renovations.

Community Impact

The impact of your donation will be felt throughout the community. EHCC/HMOCAis the meeting ground for all of East Hawaii. The facility is used for:

  • Community meetings - the League of Women Voters, the Downtown Hilo Improvement Association, for police meetings, civil defense and many more civic and social clubs.
  • This has been the place where local arts are showcased and has been for generations of people in the community. Many of our volunteers took art classes here as children.
  • We serve the handicapped and those people who have physical, emotional or mental challenges.
  • Our partnership with Orchid Isle Youth Orchestra allows students and Keiki a place to rehearse and perform.
  • We also are proud that we promote and exhibit Hawaiian cultural programs and exhibitions.

Our Mission

Our mission is to bring quality art and performance to Hilo and East Hawaii. We do so by encouraging local artists and craftspeople to exhibit their works. We also bring in programing and exhibitions from the international community as we believe that culture is not a static thing but benefits from an exchange of ideas.

In 47 years we have successfully showcased hundreds of individual artists, performers, musicians and teachers. We organized and sponsored the Big Island Music Festival for 24 years, advancing the music of the Hawaiian Islands.

Risks and Challenges

Our challenge is to re-envision ourselves for the 21st century. Times change and our community is changing, becoming more diverse and more connected to a global experience.

  • We must improve our facility, our classes, our ways of interacting with the community and the world.
  • Our aim is to transform our space into a destination where locals and visitors will want to come and enjoy performances, art, and to learn first-hand about many artistic ventures.
  • Our visitors will have the opportunity to shop for the best of local arts and crafts and will be able to sit on our beautiful lanai and sip coffee and enjoy the view of lovely Kalakaua Park.
  • Our upgraded facilities will welcome patrons to rent our meeting rooms for receptions and special events.

Without community support we won’t be able to offer all of these wonderful opportunities for art and culture to thrive in East Hawaii. Our volunteers work endless hours because they believe that this community should have a first rate art museum and museum school. They do this without pay because they love their community.

Please take the time to make a contribution that will make a difference.

Other Ways You Can Help

Besides supporting EHCC’s efforts to create a flourishing environment for the arts in Hilo, we also need volunteers who could contribute by helping with fund raising, publicity, web input, memberships, and other vital aspects of running the museum.

We at the Hawaii Museum of Contemporary Art welcome the public to come by and see first- hand what we are up to, talk with us and take a tour of the facility. Sharing with others in the community about the wonderful work that we do is how we engage with our patrons and others to build consensus about how we can better serve our constituents.

  • Ask your friends to spread the word - facebook, twitter, word of mouth, it all helps! You can start right here: https://www.facebook.com/HawaiiMOCA.
  • Volunteer as a docent, fund raiser, arts writer, or in other areas.
  • Participate in events and help spread the word about them.

Mahalo nui loa for your time and attention reading this all the way through. We know we can count on you for help.

GO TO OUR CAMPAIGN              INDIEGOGO LINK

Me ke aloha,
Lourdan Kimbrell,
East Hawai`i Cultural Council