In the late 1950s, a group of Falmouth painters began gathering informally, for fellowship and artistic development. They soon incorporated as the Falmouth Artists Guild, rented the historic Falmouth Poor House from the Town for $1 a year, and developed a thriving array of programs. By the 1980s, membership had grown to 350, and the Guild had become a major cultural resource. In 1998, however, the Town decided to bring the Poor House up to code, and to reclaim it for other uses. Finding other space proved fruitless, ending in a rented basement with declining membership and fewer programs. The Guild decided to carve out a new and larger future for itself as a leading Upper Cape regional art center, with its own fully-equipped and appropriately designed permanent home. In 2003 it launched a $2.2 million capital campaign, which is now nearing completion; construction is ready to begin on a nearly 8,000 square-foot facility, with galleries, studios, classrooms and amenities. New space will enable an expanded curriculum, including videography and digital photography. The Upper Cape will be enriched for generations to come, and if you are a beneficiary, please consider also becoming a stakeholder and an angel, with your own generous contribution.