Munson-Williams-Proctor Arts Institute celebrated the centennial of its charter on September 17. The following is an excerpt from an address made by MWPAI President and CEO Anna D’Ambrosio at a ribbon-cutting ceremony:
“One hundred years ago today, our founders—Maria Watson Williams, her husband Thomas Proctor, and her brother-in-law Frederick Proctor established Munson-Williams-Proctor Arts Institute as a cultural heart of the city and a gift to the region. Their vision was to bring our community together through the arts.
With today’s ribbon-cutting, we are not simply here to commemorate how far we have come as an organization, but also to celebrate and pave the way for how far we will go.
With our recently completed strategic plan, Munson-Williams has affirmed our commitment to creating exceptional experiences that engage our region and beyond. Our founders understood that the arts are the most universal of all languages because, through them, we can share common human emotions and experiences that help us understand one another and the world around us. In a city with a multitude of languages and cultures, the arts unite us. In a politically-charged time, the arts break down barriers and initiate dialog.”
