Arts for All is a $3.5 million initiative to shape the next chapter of Portsmouth Music and Arts Center—and the future of arts access across the Seacoast.
The campaign will expand arts access through increased programming and tuition aid; create a two-campus PMAC with space to grow music and visual art programs; bring Portsmouth’s historic South Meeting House back to life as a place for learning, imagination, and community; and help secure PMAC’s organizational sustainability.
Explore the vision below—and please consider joining us with a gift that is meaningful to you.
Together, we can build a future where the arts are truly for all.
Art gives form to emotions and bridges differences. It reminds us that, at our core, we all need the same things—to express, to connect, and to belong.
But for many, the arts are out of reach. They are priced out or aged out. Left out.
This is why PMAC places access at the heart of our mission to build community through the arts. For more than two decades, we have created a space that welcomes people of all ages and abilities.
From childhood to retirement, we are a home for possibility—for everyone.
Grow programming, increase financial aid, and remove barriers to arts participation so more people experience the arts.
Transform the South Meeting House into a dedicated visual arts center and reconfigure 973 Islington Street for more music programming.
Support long-term growth and resiliency by streamlining overhead and building capacity.
Click the colored tabs to learn more
Like parks or libraries, the arts are a public good: shared, sustaining, and vital to how we connect and understand one another. This is why PMAC strives to make access to the arts—and the community it builds—a reality for all.
PMAC is proud to be New Hampshire’s only nonprofit offering both music and visual arts education for all ages. From preschoolers to retirees, students come here to learn, connect, and grow. Our youth and teen programs complement school offerings, while adult and Creative Aging programs offer opportunities for self-expression and social connection.
Since its founding in response to Portsmouth’s 2002 Cultural Plan, PMAC has been guided by a core belief: everyone deserves access to meaningful arts experiences—regardless of age, background, or income.
Expanding access means replacing barriers with open doors. It’s our goal that anyone who feels the pull to create or be inspired can find a welcoming space at PMAC.
Help PMAC champion inclusive access to artistic opportunity.
$1,000,000 will:
PMAC’s visual arts programs have no room to grow. With only two current classrooms for art, we must host summer art camps off-site due to demand. The Haas Family Gallery frequently closes to accommodate music rehearsals, while full music studios force us to turn students away—undermining PMAC’s commitment to arts access.
The Arts for All Campaign will transform PMAC into a two-campus model. Music will remain at 973 Islington Street, while visual arts will have a new home at a revitalized South Meeting House. In partnership with The Schleyer Foundation, Chinburg Properties, and ARCove Architects, we will preserve a cherished landmark and create inspiring spaces where the arts can thrive.
More space means more possibility. We can grow our faculty and introduce new programs inspired by their expertise and our community’s interests. Students and audiences will experience more interdisciplinary connections between sound, image, and story. And new and expanded partnerships with organizations like the Strawbery Banke Museum and Prescott Park Arts Festival will infuse more creative energy into the Seacoast.
Partner with PMAC to shape the places that shape the arts.
$1,500,000 will:
Thanks to two decades of sound fiscal stewardship and deep community support, PMAC is on solid financial footing. To thrive in the years ahead, PMAC’s transition to a two-campus model must be rooted in sustainability and operational strength.
At the South Meeting House, the Schleyer Foundation will handle exterior maintenance, while PMAC cares for the interior. This arrangement significantly reduces PMAC’s fixed facility costs over time–an essential part of long-term sustainability.
Another key step is to eliminate PMAC’s mortgage on 973 Islington Street. Retiring this debt will free up critical resources for reinvestment in programming, faculty, and facilities. More than financial housekeeping, this is a bold investment in the future.
Additional funds in this pillar will build PMAC’s capacity–adding staff, enriching programs, and strengthening internal systems. Long-term sustainability means more educators, deeper impact, and a resilient organization that continues to deliver high-quality, meaningful arts experiences for generations to come.
Help PMAC stay thriving and adaptable.
$1,000,000 will:
Like parks or libraries, the arts are a public good: shared, sustaining, and vital to how we connect and understand one another. This is why PMAC strives to make access to the arts—and the community it builds—a reality for all.
PMAC is proud to be New Hampshire’s only nonprofit offering both music and visual arts education for all ages. From preschoolers to retirees, students come here to learn, connect, and grow. Our youth and teen programs complement school offerings, while adult and Creative Aging programs offer opportunities for self-expression and social connection.
Since its founding in response to Portsmouth’s 2002 Cultural Plan, PMAC has been guided by a core belief: everyone deserves access to meaningful arts experiences—regardless of age, background, or income.
Expanding access means replacing barriers with open doors. It’s our goal that anyone who feels the pull to create or be inspired can find a welcoming space at PMAC.
Help PMAC champion inclusive access to artistic opportunity.
$1,000,000 will:
Click “Expand Footprint” to continue
PMAC’s visual arts programs have no room to grow. With only two current classrooms for art, we must host summer art camps off-site due to demand. The Haas Family Gallery frequently closes to accommodate music rehearsals, while full music studios force us to turn students away—undermining PMAC’s commitment to arts access.
The Arts for All Campaign will transform PMAC into a two-campus model. Music will remain at 973 Islington Street, while visual arts will have a new home at a revitalized South Meeting House. In partnership with The Schleyer Foundation, Chinburg Properties, and ARCove Architects, we will preserve a cherished landmark and create inspiring spaces where the arts can thrive.
More space means more possibility. We can grow our faculty and introduce new programs inspired by their expertise and our community’s interests.
Students and audiences will experience more interdisciplinary connections between sound, image, and story. And new and expanded partnerships with organizations like the Strawbery Banke Museum and Prescott Park Arts Festival will infuse more creative energy into the Seacoast.
Partner with PMAC to shape the
places that shape the arts.
$1,500,000 will:
Click “Secure Stability” to continue
Thanks to two decades of sound fiscal stewardship and deep community support, PMAC is on solid financial footing. To thrive in the years ahead, PMAC’s transition to a two-campus model must be rooted in sustainability and operational strength.
At the South Meeting House, the Schleyer Foundation will handle exterior maintenance, while PMAC cares for the interior. This arrangement significantly reduces PMAC’s fixed facility costs over time–an essential part of long-term sustainability.
Another key step is to eliminate PMAC’s mortgage on 973 Islington Street. Retiring this debt will free up critical resources for reinvestment in programming, faculty, and facilities. More than financial housekeeping, this is a bold investment in the future.
Additional funds in this pillar will build PMAC’s capacity–adding staff, enriching programs, and strengthening internal systems. Long-term sustainability means more educators, deeper impact, and a resilient organization that continues to deliver high-quality, meaningful arts experiences for generations to come.
Help PMAC stay thriving and adaptable.
$1,000,000 will:
Generously provided by Tangram 3Ds
When you make a gift to PMAC’s Arts for All Campaign, you can choose to honor an arts mentor who made a difference in your life.
Mentor names will become part of PMAC’s Arts Mentor Wall, recognized with an updated mural at 973 Islington Street and a new installation at the South Meeting House.
The prominence of each name will reflect the total amount given in that mentor’s honor by the community. You can divide your gift among several arts mentors or dedicate your full gift to one person.
For example, a $2,000 gift could honor 20 arts mentors at $100 each, or the full $2,000 could be dedicated to one mentor. If others honor that same person, those gifts will be added together, making their name more prominent on the installation.
Honor the people who shaped your creative life, while inspiring the next generation through Arts for All!
PMAC is closed for our April Break from April 26 – May 3. Normal programming resumes May 4. Please note that during this time, the Haas Family Gallery is only open by appointment; please call ahead.
Questions? Please email the PMAC Office at info@pmaconline.org or call us at 603-431-4278.
