GOLD2022

DUNEDIN FINE ART CENTER INC

Where the Art Is

aka DFAC   |   Dunedin, FL   |  www.dfac.org

Mission

Our mission at the Dunedin Fine Art Center is to enrich lives through educational experiences in the visual arts. Our ultimate goal is to stimulate both awareness and appreciation of the arts through changing exhibitions, lectures, studio classes and workshops that can strengthen interpretive ability and interactive creativity for both children and adults. Our vision is to make the Dunedin Fine Art Center a leading visual art center providing unparalleled educational, cultural & creative experiences.

Ruling year info

1978

President/CEO

George Ann Bissett, BA, MA, CFRE

Main address

1143 Michigan Blvd

Dunedin, FL 34698 USA

Show more contact info

EIN

59-1621318

NTEE code info

Arts, Cultural Organizations - Multipurpose (A20)

Visual Arts Organizations (A40)

IRS filing requirement

This organization is required to file an IRS Form 990 or 990-EZ.

Sign in or create an account to view Form(s) 990 for 2020, 2019 and 2018.
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Communication

Blog

Programs and results

What we aim to solve

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

Greatest challenge is Sustainability. In 10 years, DFAC tripled in size, requiring hiring more staff, instructors, and maintenance. The annual operating budget grew from $650,000 to $2,600,000. The Creative Visions Capital Campaign raised $7.2 million to expand the facility’s teaching studios and galleries. The new spaces offered opportunities to contract with new instructors, encourage and build a larger student body, more curated gallery shows thus giving many artists both local and national opportunities to exhibit their work. A Three Year Strategic Plan identifying strategy to guide us forward to 2021. New programs and increased fundraising. Circles of Giving, scholarships and sponsors have been expanded. Food Arts a new program will bring non-traditional students and revenue will increase.

Our programs

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

What are the organization's current programs, how do they measure success, and who do the programs serve?

Adult Education

The Adult Education program at DFAC is designed to provide exciting and creative educational experiences. DFAC has an award-winning group of instructors helping students reach their full potential with individual attention and an inclusive attitude. In addition to painting, drawing, and clay classes, DFAC has studios for jewelry, printmaking, fiber arts, welding, woodturning, stone carving and food arts. In 2020 DFAC launched a new arts & wellness program. Six-week classes and one-day workshops are offered year-round. DFAC hires nationally renowned artists to lead workshops each year. In the 2020-21 fiscal year there were 3,012 adult registrations.
DFAC fosters the vital relationship between creative expression and healthy aging. Our students express their appreciation for the mental and creative stimulation provided by art activities and the sense of community created. Scholarships are available for students in financial need and DFAC also offers funding for military veterans.

Population(s) Served
Adults

Youth Classes: DFAC provides ongoing 6-week youth classes and a 10-week summer art academy program for children ages: 4.5 to 14 with 7 different weekly camps.
Youth Gallery: DFAC partners with the PCS District to provide 4 annual exhibits featuring Elementary - High Schools. DFAC also Partners with the COD and the Dunedin Principals’ Consortium to exhibit the Dunedin Schools’ Showcase exhibit
Youth Clay Lab: 12 wheels/and a hand building studio for youth
DLM Children's Hands-on Art Museum: The 23rd annual DLM exhibit, Zootopia, is an interactive experience for 4.5 to 12 years old where you can explore how Art and Science go hand in hand in the wonderful world of Animals
School Tours: DFAC’s 2-hour tour consists of 1) Engaging gallery discussion 2) Hands-on interactive area 3) Teacher directed art activity
Unique outreach program: Wheels on Wheels: A Mobile Pottery Experience, a 2-hour experience on DFAC’s converted school bus, features hand-building and using clay on a potter’s wheel.

Population(s) Served
Children and youth

DFAC has museum quality exhibitions that change every 8 weeks, on average. Annually, the public can enjoy 20 different exhibits in 6 distinct galleries plus 7 exhibits in our Children’s Gallery. Our Curatorial Team establishes the exhibition calendar 2 years in advance selecting from artist proposals, traveling exhibits, guest curator concepts and other organizational, regional proposals. With educational values at the core of our mission, it has been our goal, that visitors may view works by our faculty and students alongside exhibits of artists of national and international standing. In addition to numerous themed juried exhibitions for community participation, we have a Student/Member/Faculty exhibit that ensures every work of art submitted is shown and celebrated! It is ideal that we have been able to stage shows of broader significance in the contemporary art world while maintaining a commitment to our students, members and their families.

Population(s) Served
Children and youth
Adults

Where we work

Goals & Strategy

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

Learn about the organization's key goals, strategies, capabilities, and progress.

Charting impact

Four powerful questions that require reflection about what really matters - results.

To ensure financial viability for sustaining the Mission: Enriching lives through educational experiences in the visual arts. A solid structure is needed to earn income. There is a 25% financial gap in revenue. DFAC fundraises for exhibits, special events; Circles of Giving Membership at $1500 up to $15,000; Scholarship Funds and the Sterling Society, the friends group help raise funds for Scholarships.

The Youth Education department’s diverse program: Wheels on Wheels, a mobile clay lab, visits schools weekly. The Children’s Hands on Art Museum, ages 2.5 to 16 has stations to explore different media. A Gallery exhibits children’s art. The program hires 25 teachers for the Art Academy with 1700 students in 2018.

Adult Education employs 98 instructors to teach a range of visual arts throughout the year. Workshops offer condensed instruction each term.

DFAC is sustained by planning, transparency, succinct information on expenses and a yearly audit.

Our 2019-2021 Strategic Plan is a road map for moving forward to ensure financial sustainability.

1. Create more valuable and fulfilling experiences for our Members and our Community
2. Serve our Community and expand our student base by attracting National and International programming
3. Attract and cultivate the very best instructors
4. Develop more ways of attracting first time students to help them discover their internal artist
5. Expand our collaborative & cooperative relationships to serve the shared goal of expanding artistic opportunities
6. Expand the traditional boundaries of visual art by redefining what is included in creative self-expression
7. Seek Additional ways to engage young minds in the artistic experience
8. Better sustain and grow the impact of DFAC by broadening our donor base and expanding revenue streams

DFAC has a well-educated staff, an expert Board of Directors, Sterling Society, a friend’s group and an Advisory Board. Our partnership with the City of Dunedin helps our budget by repairing all outside equipment, air conditioners, lights, grass cutting, building and parking lot maintenance. Additionally, we receive a cash grant which is unrestricted. We purchase employee health care and life insurance from them. These cost savings benefit our financial sustainability. DFAC’s endowment and an educational Trust for children’s programs from K. to Grade 5. The above funds add to DFAC’s overall budget of 75% earned income and the remaining 25% is raised through fundraising activities with the Development Director and President/CEO. Due to continuing oversight and transparency in DFAC’s accounting daily we are aware of how the organization functions. Excellence has a price and we strive not to jeopardize programming through overspending.

DFAC has a robust educational program in visual arts for adults, teens and children. We have 21 purpose-built studios well equipped for teaching visual art; 7 galleries showing curated art and two galleries for local and regional artists from the Tampa Bay area. The quality of exhibition is acknowledged in the many awards received. During the 2017/2018 financial year, 1285 artists were exhibited, along with 6000 students and thousands of visitors. The Gallery Shop is 85 % artist consignment, and the Founders Hall is welcoming with the Perkins Library and access to all the other galleries and Palm Café.
DFAC is renovating a 900 sq. ft. studio on the second floor of the West Wing to teach Food Arts. This renovation will incorporate a Chef’s demonstration area, separate teaching modules for hands on learning. This program joins our flagship Clay and Jewelry Studios.
Next, expansion of the Clay Lab and Children’s Hands on Museum.

How we listen

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

Seeking feedback from people served makes programs more responsive and effective. Here’s how this organization is listening.

done We demonstrated a willingness to learn more by reviewing resources about feedback practice.
done We shared information about our current feedback practices.
  • Who are the people you serve with your mission?

    DFAC provides quality educational programs for Pinellas County School students and teachers, including dedicated space for student exhibitions, Wheels on Wheels Mobile Pottery Experience, school tours, classes and workshops for all students and seven summer camps. The Kokolakis Family Youth Gallery, a dedicated space for children’s art exhibitions. The Adult Education program is designed to provide exciting and creative educational experiences to the community. DFAC has assembled an award winning, degreed group of instructors who encourage students to reach their full potential. Scholarships are available for those in need, including funding for military veterans. We bring in nationally renowned artists to lead workshops. DFAC has museum quality exhibitions which change every 8 weeks.

  • How is your organization using feedback from the people you serve?

    To identify and remedy poor client service experiences, To identify bright spots and enhance positive service experiences, To make fundamental changes to our programs and/or operations, To inform the development of new programs/projects, To identify where we are less inclusive or equitable across demographic groups, To strengthen relationships with the people we serve, To understand people's needs and how we can help them achieve their goals

  • What significant change resulted from feedback?

    Feedback from students and the community leads to the development of new programs. One of the newest we've launched is an Art and Wellness program that explores the numerous benefits of creating art. Research has shown that art making can reduce stress and anxiety, improve vision and motor function, combat isolation and improve cognitive functioning. These classes will teach students how to tap into the therapeutic qualities of art. During the COVID-19, students and the community have requested virtual classes and on-line virtual tours of the exhibits instead of in-person classes and tours of the exhibits. We've purchased the technology and worked with art instructors, artists and staff to provide this invaluable service.

  • Which of the following feedback practices does your organization routinely carry out?

    We collect feedback from the people we serve at least annually, We take steps to get feedback from marginalized or under-represented people, We aim to collect feedback from as many people we serve as possible, We take steps to ensure people feel comfortable being honest with us, We look for patterns in feedback based on demographics (e.g., race, age, gender, etc.), We look for patterns in feedback based on people’s interactions with us (e.g., site, frequency of service, etc.), We engage the people who provide feedback in looking for ways we can improve in response, We act on the feedback we receive

  • What challenges does the organization face when collecting feedback?

    It is difficult to get the people we serve to respond to requests for feedback, The people we serve tell us they find data collection burdensome

Financials

DUNEDIN FINE ART CENTER INC
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Operations

The people, governance practices, and partners that make the organization tick.

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Connect with nonprofit leaders

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Connect with nonprofit leaders

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  • Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
  • Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
  • Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations

Want to see how you can enhance your nonprofit research and unlock more insights? Learn More about GuideStar Pro.

DUNEDIN FINE ART CENTER INC

Board of directors
as of 09/26/2022
SOURCE: Self-reported by organization
Board chair

Julie Scales

London Bates

London Bates Law, P.A.

Deborah Kynes

Commissioner, City of Dunedin, FL

John Freeborn

Freeborn & Freeborn PA

Mark Fox

Fox Foundation

Kathy Milam

Community Advocate

Christopher Beach

Beach Dentistry

Patrick Donoghue

Heartfire Wealth

Barbara Hubbard

Dean, St. Petersburg College

Holly Bird

Artist/Faculty Member

Michael Bowman

Dunedin Refrigeration

Fred Miller

South State Bank

Rachael Wood

Attorney-Johnson Pope

Candice Ryan

Artist

Susan Benjamin

Syd Entel Galleries, LLC

Christine Fredrick

Community Advocate

Amy Freeman

Spice and Tea Exchange

Karen Hauk

Carr, Riggs & Ingram, LLC

Bryan Voliton

Accountability Coach & Transformational Guide

Board leadership practices

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

GuideStar worked with BoardSource, the national leader in nonprofit board leadership and governance, to create this section.

  • Board orientation and education
    Does the board conduct a formal orientation for new board members and require all board members to sign a written agreement regarding their roles, responsibilities, and expectations? Yes
  • CEO oversight
    Has the board conducted a formal, written assessment of the chief executive within the past year ? Yes
  • Ethics and transparency
    Have the board and senior staff reviewed the conflict-of-interest policy and completed and signed disclosure statements in the past year? Yes
  • Board composition
    Does the board ensure an inclusive board member recruitment process that results in diversity of thought and leadership? Yes
  • Board performance
    Has the board conducted a formal, written self-assessment of its performance within the past three years? Yes

Organizational demographics

SOURCE: Self-reported; last updated 9/26/2022

Who works and leads organizations that serve our diverse communities? Candid partnered with CHANGE Philanthropy on this demographic section.

Leadership

The organization's leader identifies as:

Race & ethnicity
White/Caucasian/European
Gender identity
Female, Not transgender (cisgender)
Sexual orientation
Heterosexual or straight
Disability status
Person without a disability

Race & ethnicity

No data

Gender identity

 

Sexual orientation

Disability

Equity strategies

Last updated: 09/26/2022

GuideStar partnered with Equity in the Center - an organization that works to shift mindsets, practices, and systems to increase racial equity - to create this section. Learn more

Data
  • We review compensation data across the organization (and by staff levels) to identify disparities by race.
  • We ask team members to identify racial disparities in their programs and / or portfolios.
  • We analyze disaggregated data and root causes of race disparities that impact the organization's programs, portfolios, and the populations served.
  • We employ non-traditional ways of gathering feedback on programs and trainings, which may include interviews, roundtables, and external reviews with/by community stakeholders.
  • We have long-term strategic plans and measurable goals for creating a culture such that one’s race identity has no influence on how they fare within the organization.
Policies and processes
  • We seek individuals from various race backgrounds for board and executive director/CEO positions within our organization.
  • We have community representation at the board level, either on the board itself or through a community advisory board.
  • We help senior leadership understand how to be inclusive leaders with learning approaches that emphasize reflection, iteration, and adaptability.
  • We engage everyone, from the board to staff levels of the organization, in race equity work and ensure that individuals understand their roles in creating culture such that one’s race identity has no influence on how they fare within the organization.