The Wildling Museum of Art and Nature has paid off its mortgage in full, rendering the Wildling now debt-free, thanks to a number of special supporters and careful fiscal management. The achievement has the museum poise to plan for its next chapter as a growing Santa Barbara County cultural institution.
Founded in 2000, the Wildling Museum bought its building at 1511 Mission Drive in Solvang in 2017 with a $1.6 million loan from the Adams Legacy Foundation, after making a $1 million down payment. This ambitious effort was supported by dozens of donors, and the private family foundation set a 10-year timetable for repayment.
During a long-range planning retreat in 2012, the Board of Directors set a key goal to improve the museum’s financial sustainability. After moving into its current facility in Solvang, they then set their sights on buying the building as the most significant step toward this plan.
Now, with loan repayment fully accomplished, the museum has achieved its goal five years ahead of schedule, the Wildling Board announced.
“I’m so happy to see the Wildling thriving,” said Pete Adams, founder of the Adams Legacy Foundation. “The Wildling has built a strong foundation and now can look confidently to the future. I look forward to seeing what they will do.”
Joining the Adams in making early significant financial contributions to the purchase were long-time supporters Judy and Jack Stapelmann.
“We are so grateful to the Adams and Stapelmann families for kicking off this campaign,” said Stacey Otte-Demangate, executive director. “Their leadership inspired the confidence of our other supporters.
“It’s an amazing feeling to have paid off the mortgage five years early and we’re so excited to be developing plans for the next several years to make us even more accessible and relevant to our community.”
Both the Wildling’s Advisory Council and Board have each recently held retreats to help the museum with mapping plans for the future, given this accomplishment.
The board and staff are planning to expand educational offerings in 2023, which may include more hands-on art experiences for families to enjoy during their visits, as well as more classes and free Family Days (the next is scheduled for Feb. 12) to make the museum accessible to all.
“As the founder of the Wildling Museum of Art and Nature, I can proudly say we’ve come a long way to arrive at this exciting time,” said Patti Jacquemain. “In reflection, back in 1997, my husband Dave and I shared an idea of mine with a group of like-minded individuals to form a museum with art and the environment as its theme.
“At that time, we had no funds, location to occupy, artwork to show, or staff to do the work. But today, looking back, I cannot express how excited I am about what we have accomplished since we opened our doors in our first location in Los Olivos in 2000.
“I am especially proud of the many people who believed in us by becoming members, making contributions, and supporting us in so many other ways over the past 22 years.”
“And today, on behalf of all our members, staff, supporters and others, we have ‘burned our mortgage’ and will continue to provide top-of-the-line art exhibitions, informative programs, and educational classes on both art, nature, and our vanishing environment.
“Today, I feel our connection with the environment through art, is more important now than ever before.”
For more about the Wildling Museum visit www.wildlingmuseum.org.