Who We Are & What We Do
Dr. Bullough established his eponymous foundation with the lofty goal of "saving civilization through the power of the arts." Learn more below about our mission and how, as a 501(c)(3) registered nonprofit, we strive toward this vision.
Mission
We support emerging artists and the arts by providing interdisciplinary residencies, hosting workshops, lectures, and events, and sharing the rare book and art collections of the late Dr. Peter Bullough
The Peter Bullough Foundation (PBF) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit located in Winchester, Virginia. Founded by the late Dr. Peter G. Bullough in 2017, the PBF began formal operations in August 2020 and welcomed its first residents in 2021. The PBF provides time and space for emerging artists - particularly those from historically underserved communities and including those of the LGBTQIA2S+ community. While in residence, artists give back to the local community by hosting free or low cost workshops, lectures, or other events. The PBF frequently partners with other organizations for these events in order to reach a broader community - you can find a list of partners at the bottom of this page. Last, the PBF shares Dr. Bullough’s rare book and art collections, providing resources for residents and tours to members and guests.
Vision
To save civilization through the power of the arts.
The impact of residencies on the course of an artist’s life can be profound, just as the impact of art on a community can resonate for decades to come. Our unique program offers artists time and space to create and explore at pivotal times in their journeys. By inviting artists from across the country to visit our small town and inviting them to interact with our local community, we share art forms and knowledge that many would not be able to experience otherwise.
Community Partnerships
We see partnerships as a crucial opportunity to tell others about our residents and to share skills with our local community.
We've been fortunate to partner with the wonderful following organizations for lectures and workshops: AIDS Response Effort, LGBTQ+ Center, Evans Home, Handley Regional Library, Laurel Ridge Community College, Museum of the Shenandoah Valley, Winchester Area NAACP, Shenandoah University, Timbrook Achievement Center, Winchester SPCA, and 1455 Literary Arts. We look forward to future partnerships with these and other organizations. If you're interested in partnering on an event with the PBF, please reach out to us here!
Organization History
The Peter Bullough Foundation (PBF) was conceived by Dr. Peter Bullough in 2017. He assembled a board of friends, colleagues, and former students and began discussions about what form his eponymous foundation could take. Chief among them was an artist residency, the seeds for which had been planted decades earlier by an artist named Sakiko Ide.
In the 1960's, Ide came to the United States from Japan, studying art in Chicago and then working to establish herself in the New York art scene. After years of limited success, she filled her apartment with blank canvases and, once she had filled them all, she took her own life. Dr. Bullough acquired two of her paintings of chrysanthemums and it was from the gallerist that he heard her story. Moved deeply, Dr. Bullough wondered if additional support or patronage might have changed the course of her life. He spent the rest of his life offering support to artist friends and to students emerging early in their careers.
The PBF draws its residency program from other roots as well. In his lifetime, Dr. Bullough "was unable to live fully outside the closet door," says PBF archive manager Jeffrey Albright. "His foundation seeks to provide a space for emerging LGBTQIA2S+ artists to be recognized, supported, and accepted for who they are. We look with gratitude to the one who planted the tree under whose shelter he would never rest."
Accreditation
The Peter Bullough Foundation is proud to be a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit registered with the Commonwealth of Virginia and to be a Platinum Transparency nonprofit with Guidestar/Candid.
Location History
Winchester was originally the land of the Massawomeck and the Manahoac. The Winchester area was a frequent travel corridor for indigenous tribes, specifically those of the Haudenosaunee Nations; the Seneca in particular were present in the region in the 1600's and 1700's, as they had recently absorbed the Massawomeck. This path is sometimes referred to as the Great Warrior Road. After a series of skirmishes with white colonists in the 1700’s, the Treaty of Albany in 1722 saw indigenous peoples trading land east of the Blue Ridge Mountains for exclusive use of the lands west of the mountains. This was short-lived, as white settlers disregarded the treaty and continued to push over the mountains and into the Shenandoah Valley. Virginia has 9 state-recognized tribes as of today.
Area records show that the house at 122 West Cork was built in the 1840’s and was originally owned by Oliver M. Brown, who occupied the house along with this wife, children, and two enslaved people. We are hoping to conduct more research about the enslaved people who lived in this house. Brown owned three houses along West Cork Street and eventually had seven children.
Preservation for Historic Winchester has shared that this two-story, five-bay single- family dwelling is set on a solid random rubble foundation. The roof is standing-seam metal, and the gabled roof includes a molded cornice, returns, overhanging eaves, and a plain frieze.
Values
We respect diversity of identity, expression, and experience
We value the role emerging artists play in furthering the arts
We seek to enrich the local community by partnering with other organizations
We value arts education for all ages and all walks of life
We value supporting artists through residencies, funding, & community
Board of Trustees
Dr. Anand Jagannath
Board President
Lemoyne, PA
Todd Brockwell
Treasurer
San Antonio, TX
Dr. Mark Edgar
Trustee, Residency Chair
Jacksonville, FL
Peter A. Bullough
Trustee
Copenhagen, Denmark
Harriet Gerard Clark
Trustee
Oyster Bay, NY
Robin Ha
Trustee
Winchester, VA
Dr. Morgan O'Brien
Trustee
Winchester, VA
Stefano Paci
Trustee
Brooklyn, NY
Courtney Reilly
Trustee
Winchester, VA
Mary Margaret Wise
Trustee
Winchester, VA
Staff
Katie Mooney Buzby
Executive Director
Jeffrey Albright
Archive & Property Manager
Missie Ward
Volunteer Bookkeeper