NOV 13, 2025

Dear community,

At Aviva Arts we believe arts practice is liberation practice.

We create intersectional storytelling that enlivens our relationship to ourselves, our communities and the natural world.

In the face of tragic destabilization including federal cuts for the arts, lawless arrest and deportation of undocumented immigrants and the ongoing famine and genocide in Gaza and Sudan, we responded by offering much-needed community spaces to listen, grieve, rant, inspire and resonate with one another.

Now more than ever, creating experiences that recognize each other’s humanity, offer hope and the space for difficult conversations is a vital community resource.

We’re Growing Our Impact:

This year, Aviva Arts more than doubled individual donors and foundation grant awards including Kenneth Rainin, and new partners from the SF Arts Commission, Phyllis Wattis and the Bill Graham Foundations.

In 2025 we produced TEN bold workshops, wellness sessions and performances, including:

Touring AudioBody workshops to SF and Minneapolis,
Staging a reading of Seven Jewish Children: A Play for Gaza by Caryl Churchill at Joe Goode Annex
Holding Community Listening Circles in partnership with Golden Thread’s Azad, The Rabbit and the Wolf and Pilgrimage
Launching Decolonizing the Heart online community arts and wellness series featuring dynamic global collaborators with Debórah Eliezer

You are at the center of our vision.

We’re expanding our offerings in innovative ways and we cannot grow without your vital support.

Help us raise $9000 in individual donations by December 15th to fund new staff and pay artists a living wage.

This is a crucial moment in the life of Aviva Arts. As a growing nonprofit we must grow our individual donors or we will not survive. Your support will determine the future of our organization creating vital community resources.

In Aviva Arts’ Third Year We Will:

Deepen our Roots:

Expand our staff and circle of artists and pay folks a living wage. A generous $50,0000 grant over two years from the SF Arts Commission will help pay our
Executive Staff a full 12 months, hire an inaugural Associate Artistic Producer and a part-time Communications Director.

Widen Our Branches:
EXCITING NEWS! Aviva Arts launches Resonance, an international retreat program!
Resonance Retreats offers participants affinity spaces that re-align and re-tune our relationship to community, culture-building and inner purpose. Living together and experiencing resilience and leadership skills, wellness and creativity practice to co-imagine the world we wish to live in.

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Join Our Evolving Vision: In the midst of your busy life and the world’s pressing concerns, I’m asking you to please take a moment to support Aviva Arts. Help us pay artists a living wage.

All donations will be matched 100% (doubled!) by the Aviva Arts Board and are tax deductible. Donating to Aviva Arts NOW will double your impact for our organization! Check out some amazing gifts and raffle prizes HERE!

There’s more! You’re invited to our end of year gathering, the Power of Poetry Salon on Dec 14th 3-5:30pm in Oakland, CA or online. Global performances, raffle prizes, food and signature cocktails.

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Make a Difference:

If you agree that we need brave spaces for challenging times, inspiring resiliency practice for a chaotic world, and arts advocacy for marginalized voices, then I am personally asking you to please put your money where your values are and invest in your Aviva Arts community.

Make a donation today to the Deeper Roots, Wider Branches campaign here. You can also write a check to: “Aviva Arts” and send to: Aviva Arts, 1446 Market St., San Francisco, CA 94102

Want to make an even deeper impact?

Consider adding value as an Aviva Arts board member.

You could be the next community member to help guide our vision. Email me at deborahe@avivaarts.org to learn more.

On behalf of the entire Aviva Arts board, staff and member artists, thank you so much for your support,