The New Art Advisory Board (NAAB) is where all those wanting to actively support the New Art Center begin their journey. The NAAB works alongside the Board of Governors (BoG) to provide students, families, artists, educators, and art enthusiasts with opportunities to engage with New Art in productive and meaningful ways.

Members of this group share a passion for the New Art Center and believe in the fundamental mission of creating community through art.

About the NAAB

Joining the NAAB provides individuals with the unique opportunity to:

• Advance New Art’s mission and contribute to the success of the Center
• Simultaneously nurture and help to grow a small, vibrant community of artists, students, and other enthusiasts west of Boston
• Expand your network and meet people with similar interests

Advisory Board Areas of Engagement

New Art Advisory Board members are offered opportunities to volunteer in one or both of two broad categories of active support – Development and Social Justice & Public Outreach. 

Development

With support from the Development staff, work with the Development Committee to advance New Art’s mission and achieve its financial goals.

Development encompasses three sub-categories: 

• (a) Financial Development
  • Focus on raising revenue  
  • Cultivate relationships that ultimately tie donors to the Center
  • Assist with Annual Fund and membership drives
  • Understand that each gift makes an impact at New Art 
  • Know New Art’s most pressing needs 
  • Encourage prospects to become donors
  • Help to maintain the current donor list 
  • Promote New Art services 
  • With the BoG Finance Committee, support and help to vet the financial components and accuracy of the long range financial Strategic Plan

• (b) Events and Program Development 
  • Primarily focus on generating New Art events and making them happen, including exhibitions, open studios, special workshops, and demonstrations among others 
  • Assist in organizing and running silent auctions and other fundraising events events
  • Invite and encourage people who are unfamiliar with New Art to attend an exhibition, join a lecture, or take a class 
  • Help devise new in-person and online art tuition programs, lecture series, etc.
• (c) Work Space Development and Rental 
  • Oversee physical plant planning projects to maintain and improve New Art’s buildings and grounds, including maintenance, renovation, and expansion of existing properties
  • Administer and grow third-party rental of New Art workspaces

Note: There is overlap between (A), (B), and (C) and it is expected many NAAB members will indicate more than one category or sub-category. Members are encouraged to volunteer with any and all categories that interest or apply to them.

Social Justice & Public Outreach 

• This Advisory Board category has both an internal to New Art justice element, as well as an outward, community-focused public art and service aspect, such as art therapy, for example. 
• The Social Justice and Public Outreach group is meant to be a channel through which wider social diversity issues will impact the work of the New Art Center and through which New Art’s Social Justice journey can in turn influence the wider social dialogue.

Time Commitment

The New Art Advisory Board will hold one annual meeting per year, generally to take place in October. At this meeting, annual BOG goals will be shared and subcommittees will define the New Art Advisory Board initiatives for the year. New Art Advisory Board members can select subcommittees to join at this meeting.

Outside of the annual meeting, the New Art Advisory Board will meet when subcommittees meet, approximately 2 – 8 times per year, unless an initiative with a deadline is pending which requires more frequent engagement.

Other Expectations and Requirements

In addition to serving as public proponents for the Center throughout Newton and beyond, NAAB members are asked to:

• Become a cheerleader for New Art and bring new members into the organization
• Actively participate by attending Artist Talks, Wine and Cheese events, exhibitions (virtual and in-person), museum tours, and other community building events
• Attend and support fundraising events
• Make a cumulative financial contribution of $500 or more