We’re proud to announce Lighthouse Writers Workshop has joined Tier II of the Scientific and Cultural Facilities District (SCFD), which supports arts, science, and culture in metro Denver. This puts Lighthouse—and by extension writing and literature—in the same category as stalwarts such as the Clyfford Still Museum, Denver Film, Museum of Contemporary Art Denver, Swallow Hill Music, and over 20 other great arts organizations.
Thank you for supporting Lighthouse as we grow and expand our reach throughout the community. We look forward to welcoming more and more people into the fold—and offering new, dynamic programming in the process—while still fostering the sense of intimacy that has been our hallmark.
At such a turning point, it’s good to look both back and ahead. In this spirit, we're proud to present the 2018 annual report and the 2019–2023 strategic plan. If you have a chance to read them, we believe you’ll get the sense that the organization is poised to achieve many great things; and we think you’ll also get a clear sense of the wonderful work we’ve been able to accomplish recently—in workshops, at Lit Fest, and in the community.
Some quick thoughts and news items:
- We continue to grow across all of our programs, especially with Lit Fest, visiting authors, and community engagement. In fact, our offerings for traditionally marginalized or silenced communities have grown exponentially, which aligns with our core belief that writing can positively impact everyone’s lives by nurturing creativity, self-esteem, and critical thinking. This power cannot be understated.
- As mentioned above, we’re honored to have recently become an SCFD Tier II organization. That means we’re one of the largest arts and culture nonprofits in the Denver community, placing the literary arts alongside some of the cornerstone arts institutions in the metro area.
- Growth is something to celebrate, but it also poses an opportunity for building infrastructure: the board, staff, and membership continue to professionalize and streamline the organization as our budget crosses the $2 million threshold.
- Related to this growth, the future home of Lighthouse is an exciting opportunity. We have two years on our current lease at 1515 Race Street, which the current owner has put up for sale. The board and staff have carefully considered making an offer, but we’ve come to the conclusion that the house, which has served us so well over the years, is limiting our ability to successfully and equitably serve our community. We’ve created a real estate committee that is ambitiously exploring other options.
- Our community is deeply dedicated and involved in Lighthouse and all the work it does. Volunteerism is up 10%, and individual membership and donations have increased approximately 8% year-to-year. With increased tuition assistance (Writership) funds, and with several new writing fellowships, more individuals are able to participate in Lighthouse offerings than ever before. This shows in everything from our Writing to be Free workshops (for people coming out of incarceration), to our Veteran’s Writing Program, which funds veterans taking intensive workshops at Lit Fest.
Thank you for supporting Lighthouse, and for making it such a magical place!
