LETTER FROM THE FOUNDER / PRESIDENT

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Dear friends and art lovers,

 

Thank you for your interest in the work of Art Exchange. I hope that you will join us on our journey of sharing the best in arts and culture!

 

Art Exchange Inc. is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to presenting highest quality of art from different parts of the world with the goal to enhance the cultural experience of American audiences through photography, live music, theatrical performances, film, literary events, and educational programming.  

 

As a child and young adult growing up in Belgrade, then Yugoslavia, I was immersed in a vibrant and rich cultural life, both as a young pianist and as an audience member who frequently attended Belgrade’s theatres, galleries, concert and lecture halls. Arts had a profound impact on my life journey that was interrupted by the turbulence of the civil war, which led me to my new home in the United States. While having the privilege to experience the finest in arts and culture the world has to offer, what continues to inspire me is Serbia and the Balkans, land and region characterized by centuries-long heritage, turbulent past, and culture with ancient customs, rituals and beliefs that define life there to this very day. The Vinča culture, unveiled in an archeological site on the right bank of the Danube near downtown Belgrade, attests to be the oldest European civilization through archeological remains dating back to Neolithic age. Ancient sites dating back to when Serbia was part of the Roman Empire point to as many as 16 Roman Emperors who originally came from towns that are part of modern Serbia. Many medieval Serbian Orthodox monasteries, jewels of the medieval Byzantine architecture and fresco painting that were built during the time of the Nemanjić dynasty rule when Serbia became an empire, have been enlisted as World Heritage Sites by the UNESCO. The list goes on…

 

While our primary aim is to acquaint American audiences with works of art from that ancient part of the world, our mission is to also discover and present the most inspiring works of art from other cultures. Cultural exchange deepens understanding among participants and creates ties between artists and communities and their counterparts abroad. In selecting the most appropriate works to present, we consider authentic, sincere and personal artwork of both emerging and accomplished artists from a multitude of cultures. In our interaction with such works, we aim to showcase the country or origin of artistic creation while at the same time recognizing universal human values that permeate any good work of art. Let art awaken us to the eternal truths that we all have within us but may have forgotten in the daily struggles of our lives!

 

The times of the pandemic have been especially hard for artists and arts organizations worldwide, but they are not impossible times. With every crisis comes opportunity!  We welcome new programmatic ideas for live and virtual collaborations. If interested, please submit your proposals through our contact page.  We also invite you to consider making a tax-deductible donation to Art Exchange that will help us achieve our programmatic goals and further our mission.  

 

Thank you for your contribution, your support means the world to us!

 

A heartfelt thank you,

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Svetlana Rogić

Founder and President

Art Exchange Inc.

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