Deborah Beavers-Watford

As National President, I am honored to extend my warmest greetings to every visitor — whether you are a member, prospective member, community partner, artist, educator, supporter, or someone simply discovering our organization for the first time.

The Power and Promise of the Arts

Art is more than beauty. Art is language, memory, prophecy — it has the capacity to heal, to uplift, to challenge, to transform. For women in particular, the arts have always been a sacred site of resistance, identity formation, and communal storytelling. From the rhythms in our music, the movement in our dance, the cadence of our spoken word, to the images in our paintings and the words in our prose — these creative expressions carry our histories, our dreams, our truths.

In a world that too often underestimates and marginalizes voices that arise from the margins, the arts become a vehicle of agency. They allow us to name what has been silenced, to reimagine what is possible, and to pass on to future generations a legacy of beauty, courage, resilience, and vision.

Our Mission and Why It Matters

Since 1983, The Society, Incorporated has brought together professional women bonded by friendship, purpose, and service. Our founding intention was—and continues to be—to nurture and promote youth in the arts, particularly in underserved communities, so that young creative voices can flourish and enrich our world.

Today, across 41 cities nationwide, our chapters offer scholarships, grants, stipends, mentorship, performance and exhibition opportunities, educational workshops, and advocacy for emerging artists. The Society, Incorporated currently reaches youth through its chapters in 15 states and 35 chapter-locations.

We hold firm to the belief that investing in the arts is investing in our collective future. When young artists receive encouragement, training, and resources, they do more than create—they become leaders, community builders, and change agents. Their successes ripple outward: families strengthened, narratives advanced, and new paths forged.

Whether as artists, patrons, educators, or advocates — our role in amplifying creative expression is both moral and strategic.

We affirm that:

1. Our creative voices matter. When we speak, write, paint, dance, compose, we challenge stereotypes, and insist upon full visibility.

2. We are agents of change. When artists in our communities lead the narrative, they shift how institutions allocate resources, and how history is remembered.

3. Intergenerational mentorship is essential. We owe it not only to ourselves but to future generations to pass on knowledge, access, networks, and belief in possibility.

4. Collaboration sustains us. The arts flourish when we build bridges: with each other, with schools, with civic institutions, with funders, and with audiences.

What You Can Do —
Join Us as Partner, Advocate, or Patron

To everyone reading this, I invite you to become part of our mission:

• If you’re an artist or student, explore our programs, apply for opportunities, reach out to your local chapter, and consider becoming part of our membership community.

• If you’re an educator or community leader, partner with us to bring arts enrichment, residencies, workshops, or performances into your area.

• If you’re a donor, sponsor, or advocate, your support fuels scholarships, grants, exhibits, and the infrastructure that sustains our chapters.

• If you simply want to stay informed, follow us on social media, attend our national and chapter events, and share our stories.

Every time one of our young artists sees her name in lights, hears her words spoken aloud, or feels her work validated, she is strengthened — and so is the world.

In Gratitude and Vision

To the founders who dared to imagine, to the chapters nurturing talent in every corner, and to the women whose labor and love sustain us — I am deeply grateful. As National President, I pledge to steward our legacy, expand our reach, uplift more voices, and ensure that The Society, Incorporated continues to be a beacon for creativity and excellence.

As we move through this Biennium under the inspiring theme Connecting in Harmony, let us be ever mindful that harmony is both our method and our mission. It is found in the shared rhythms of our friendship, the unity of our purpose, and the collective melody of our service. When we connect in harmony — across chapters, generations, and artistic disciplines — we amplify the power of our impact and embody the true essence of The Society.

Thank you for spending time here, for learning with us, and for believing that the arts — and the women who give them life — are vital to our collective flourishing.

In sisterhood, service, and artistic purpose,
Deborah Beavers-Watford
10th National President
The Society, Incorporated, Supporting the Arts