How to Help Wassenberg Art Center

Volunteers Welcome!

Volunteers are very important to the Art Center. We have an active list of volunteers who enjoy supporting the arts with their time and skills. They host the center on Sundays during exhibits, help to provide cookies and snacks for receptions, host the fine arts exhibit at the County Fair, assist with festivals and other events, and serve on our board. If you can donate a few hours of your time, or help by providing food and punch, please contact us and ask to be put on our volunteer list. You may call 419-238-6837 or toll free 1-888-238-3837, or e-mail wassenberg@embarqmail.com

Did you know that it costs over $60 per visitor to present a year’s worth of exhibits at the Wassenberg Art Center?

Although admission to our Art Center is free to the public, and all exhibits are free to the public, presenting those exhibits doesn’t come cheap. In his will, Charles Wassenberg specified that the Art Center may not charge admission to exhibits. He wanted everyone to be able to enjoy beautiful artwork without having to pay to see it. However, the yearly grant from Mr. Wassenberg’s trust only covers basic operating costs. To cover the costs of presenting exhibits, the Art Center must depend on donations and sponsorships from the public, businesses and organizations, and private individuals.

If each person who comes to see an exhibit at the Art Center would put just one dollar in the donation box, the money collected would pay for the show catalog; or for a month’s worth of advertising on the radio; or for the stamps required for publicity mailings; or for any number of other expenses associated with exhibits.

We don’t like to ask for money, although it seems we have to do it all the time. We have many generous sponsors in our business community, but we are almost always short of our budget for each exhibit. Our Art Center has been called “one of the area’s undiscovered gems.” Please consider supporting this unique community resource with a donation.

Donations may be sent to the Wassenberg Art Center, 643 S. Washington St., Van Wert, Ohio 45891. If you are a business or individual interested in sponsoring one or more of our exhibits, please call 419.238.6837 or toll free 1.888.238.3837 to speak with Executive Director Michele Hiegel.

Become a Business Member

The Business Membership is designed to benefit both the Wassenberg Art Center and area businesses. This membership is available to businesses at levels of $50 or $100.

For businesses who commit to the $50 level, the Wassenberg Art Center will provide publicity in its calendar of events, website, radio and periodically in newspaper columns and newsletters, as well as in-house sponsorship signs and other acknowledgements.

At the $100 level, all of the above will be provided and in addition we offer the opportunity to have a $25 award presented in the name of the business or organization during one of our three annual exhibits (Nov.-Dec. Members Show, June Art Exhibit, or October Photography Exhibit).

If a business member wishes to co-sponsor such an award with another business to increase the amount of the award, this can be arranged.

All memberships will receive our quarterly newsletter and information on upcoming classes, demonstrations and other events of interest.

Memberships are on an annual basis dating from the month the membership funds are received (e.g. January to January, February to February, etc.). The Wassenberg Art Center is a 501-C3 organization, meaning that a portion of the membership will be tax-deductible. You may be assured your membership supports the arts in our community.

Although part of our funding comes from the Charles F. Wassenberg Fund via the Van Wert County Foundation, over 50 percent of our operating budget must be provided through memberships, sponsorships, fundraisers and donations.