Marion Art Center

Executive Director Wendy Bidstrup Will Pass the Baton on December 31, 2010

In 1958, fourteen Marion townspeople formed a not for profit organization with the express purpose for:

The establishment, maintenance and management of an association to promote the arts, social fellowship, and companionship among its members for their mutual improvement, and to interchange ideas and assist each other in helpful guidance, and to this end to furnish, maintain and conduct a place where meetings may be held and where questions of the day may be discussed.

The Marion Art Center has become exactly what those original founders had in mind due, in large part, to Executive Director, Wendy Bidstrup’s love of the arts, tireless energy, her creative enthusiasm, patience, joy and wisdom. In 1964, Wendy, then a Tabor “faculty wife”, volunteered at the Center, became a Board Member and later its first paid Executive Director, declaring it “was my dream job.” On December 31, 2010, Wendy Bidstrup will step down as Executive Director of our beloved Marion Art Center. In this day of fast track career changes and uncertain employment Wendy has been a beacon of steadfast loyalty and lifelong commitment for over 40 years. Under her direction, the Art Center has grown, show by show, exhibit by exhibit and flourished to become the cultural center of the community it is today. Wendy is a playwright and song writer, a producer, a director, a stage manager, a set designer and decorator, a costume mistress, a museum curator, a Halloween witch, a Fourth of July Parade float designer and the founder of ArtStart which celebrated its 25^{th year in 2010. In this 180 year old building, the full gamut of cultural activities has been tirelessly presented to the community. Adults and children have been served generous portions of plays, musicals, art exhibitions, dance, music and song and best of all fun!}

For the past year Bidstrup has been easing into retirement, and slowly ceding more responsibilities to Deborah Bokelkamp who will take the baton on January 1st. Deborah was a volunteer and Board Member when Wendy announced her retirement. Deborah has been in many plays at MAC over the last 15 years and has a lifelong love of the arts. After 30 years as a legal secretary, the last 10 of which she commuted to Boston via the Middleboro train, Deborah was ready for a change. Just as Wendy had felt years before, she knew this was her dream job. She immediately resigned from the Board and applied for the job. Recently, Board of Directors Member, Eric Strand notified her that she had been appointed to the position.

Since that time, Wendy and Deborah have shared the job, working in tandem creating a comfortable transition period. Of Wendy, Deborah says: “She has been a patient teacher, graciously imparting her knowledge of the day to day operations of the Center, as well as her sage advice for working with the volunteers, the artists, the actors and directors, the children and the patrons.” In a recent interview with Chris Reagle, Community Editor of The Sippican Senitel, Wendy told Chris that working part-time has allowed her to spend more time with her husband, children and grandchildren, often attending their sports games, and traveling a bit. “It’s given me a taste of what retirement is like and I like it,” Bidstrup said. “It was tough making this decision, but it’s like what my husband said ‘If you don’t retire then you’ll never know what it’s like to be retired.’”

We hope “Wendy can take comfort in knowing that she leaves a legacy of art, music, dance and theater that has left a deep cultural imprint on a community that has always responded to her creative initiatives.” Used by Permission – Chris Reagle