FYACS Capital Campaign Frequently Asked Questions
Capital Campaign Overview
cWhy is FYACS buying the building?
Follow Your Art Community Studios’ home is the Big Yellow House at 647 Main Street in downtown Melrose, Massachusetts. We have rented the space since 2019 with the intent of purchasing the property once we were firmly established in the community.
In 2024, FYACS celebrated its first five years of (joyfully!) building creative community. Our small staff invites more than 1,000 adults and youth from the greater Boston area into the “Big Yellow House” each year for classes, gallery shows, performances, and special events. Our signature Arts for All program has provided financial and adaptive assistance to dozens of individuals, and our collaborations with local partners enrich the broader community. Owning our own space will allow us to do even more to make creative experiences available to everyone.
Who owns the building now?
647 Main Street is currently owned by Art Ventures, LLC, which was created by a group of founding supporters with the intent to one day sell the property to FYACS. Art Ventures has leased the space to FYACS since it was incorporated as a nonprofit community arts center in 2019. Thanks to the generosity of these early supporters, FYACS has been able to establish itself in the community and grow into the Big Yellow House, which has become the art center’s indisputable home.
What will owning the building mean for FYACS? What changes can we expect?
Owning the property will be transformational for FYACS. With this significant capital investment, FYACS will purchase the property we currently inhabit and make much needed improvements, including envelope maintenance and an expanded ceramics studio. These additions mean more special events and more classes for YOU!
By purchasing the property, FYACS can save ~$11,000 a year in taxes that we currently pay on the property. This added financial flexibility means funds could be reallocated to support creative projects in the community, also overcoming the challenges of currently limited city funds for arts and culture.cel
Giving to the Capital Campaign
What is the capital campaign goal?
FYACS plans to raise $500,000 in this capital campaign between 2024-2026. This amount will cover the down payment toward the purchase of the property, as well as create a significant maintenance and renovation fund to make much needed improvements to the property.
How much is left to raise?
Thanks to generous community donations and regular contributions from the Follow Your Art budget, close to $100,000 was raised in 2024. At the end of 2024, FYACS applied for a Mass Cultural Council Cultural Facilities Fund grant. If awarded, FYACS will aim to raise the remaining matching amount by the end of 2025.
How can I donate?
There are multiple ways you can contribute:
- One-time gifts online or by check
- Multi-year pledge – complete the online form to automatically pay a pledge by credit card each year of the campaign, or you can sign up for reminders each year.
Are there suggested giving levels?
Gifts of all amounts are vital to helping us reach our goal, and we hope that members of our community will make donations in amounts meaningful to them.
Creative Champions: Donors contributing $1,000 or more per year for each of the three campaign years will be in our leadership circle of “Creative Champions.” Leadership donors will receive invitations to special donor events and two free concert tickets, quarterly updates on the impacts of your generosity, and recognition on the donor page of fyamelrose.org and in the 2025 annual report.
If you have questions about making a leadership donation or would like to discuss naming opportunities, contact Lauren Liecau at lliecau@fyamelrose.org
Can I make a gift over a period of time?
Yes. Please visit this page to set up a recurring donation or complete the pledge form.
Are donations tax deductible?
Yes.
Will donors be publicly recognized?
Yes, gifts of all amounts will be recognized on a digital donor wall on our website unless a donor prefers to remain anonymous.
Additional Questions
What is the timeline?
Our goal is to wrap up our capital campaign in 2026.
How else can I get involved?
YOU are our biggest champion. Help spread the word about FYACS and the capital campaign to your friends and family. A few ideas:
- Hold a house party (if you let us know, our Executive Director or a Board member can join you and share about FYACS)!
- Share details with your connections – we have digital and print flyers you can use!
- Attend special capital campaign events – keep an eye out for upcoming FUN(draising) events with good people, food, music, and celebration of the creative arts in our community.
- Can you think of anyone who should know about FYACS and what we do? Let us know and we’ll reach out to them!