Almost Home 2016

ALMOST HOME The Capital Campaign for the New Irish Arts Center

“There is a new

Ireland and a new America dawning. We need a place where the new voices of Irish America can be nourished… and celebrated…and born.

Irish Arts Center is that place.”

GABRIEL BYRNE HONORARY CO-CHAIR

FOUNDERS

($250,000)

Founding Patrons are individuals and institutions who understand that our cause is greater than a new building, and who recognize the importance in investing in Irish arts and culture for future generations. Our architects are developing a design concept to recognize our Founding Patrons in perpetuity at the entrance of the building. All Founding Patrons will also be recognized in the Centenary Circle.

CENTENARY CIRCLE

($100,000)

The Centenary Circle will celebrate the history of Ireland and Irish America through a collage of moments, curated by leading Irish and Irish American authors, in a beautiful physical feature within the stairwell of the new building. We invite you to take your place in our history by making a gift in honor of a year that holds personal significance for you or your family.

A S E AT I N Y O U R H O N O R

($50,000)

By naming a seat in one of our performance venues, you will ensure that generations to come will have access to exciting, high quality cultural experiences that tell our story and create memories to last a lifetime.

Capital pledges can be made over a period of years.

OTHER WAYS TO HELP THE CAMPAIGN • Make a donation. Gifts are appreciated at all levels, visit www.almosthome2016.org.

• Sign up for email updates about the campaign.

• Introduce new friends to Irish Arts Center by attending a performance or hosting a meet and greet.

• Connect us to corporate donors and foundations.

• Ask about making a planned gift.

For more information regarding the Almost Home Capital Campaign please contact Nick Rolf at 212.757.3318 x223 or nick.rolf@irishartscenter.org.

D

esigned by Ireland’s Office of Public Works (Wexford Opera House) and the New York architects Davis Brody Bond (National September 11 Museum), the New Irish Arts Center will bring together the old and the new in a dynamic, inclusive, sustainable flagship destination for New Yorkers who love great art, for visitors seeking an authentic cultural experience, and for the global Irish community.

A purpose-built, state-of-the-art contemporary performance space for theatre, dance, music, installations and special events

A second, intimate performance space – the renovated historic Irish Arts Center theatre – optimized for live music, literature, film, talks, large classes and special events Classrooms and studio space for community education programs in Irish music, dance, language, history, and the humanities, and for master classes and workshops by visiting and resident artists Technology capability to project the Irish Arts Center experience on the digital platform

An avenue-facing café lobby to engage with the neighborhood and provide a social setting for conversation and interaction between artists and audiences A beautiful new courtyard entrance on 51st Street where the historic Irish Arts Center building and the new facility meet

NAMING OPPORTUNITIES

OUR NEW THEATRE A brand new state-of-the-art contemporary performance space for world-class Irish theatre, dance and music performances, cross-disciplinary works, installations, and special events.

This flexible seating venue with seating up to 160 (and more for stand-up events) will allow us to present and develop a much wider range and scale of work.

THE CAFÉ An avenue-facing cafÊ will serve as a cultural anchor and an intimate setting for conversation and interaction between artists and audiences. This welcoming ground floor space will host special gatherings in an environment of Irish hospitality.

STUDIO A ground floor studio will accommodate performance based learning in Irish music, dance and provide a venue for master classes and workshops conducted by our visiting or resident actors, writers, dancers, choreographers, and directors.

LIBRARY CLASSROOM Located on the top floor of our new home, a beautiful library classroom will serve as an intimate venue for lecture/seminar style learning in Irish language, literature, and history.

HISTORIC IRISH ARTS CENTER THEATRE The renovation of our existing theatre will transform the space into a second intimate venue for live music, spoken word, literature, film, and talks that will extend and add dimension to the performance experience and vitality to our multidisciplinary mission.

HISTORIC IRISH ARTS CENTER BUILDING The historic heart of Irish Arts Center, our original building, will house a second performance space as well as important support space for the new building, and offices for production and operations in both buildings.

COURTYARD ENTRANCE A beautiful new courtyard entrance on 51st Street brings together the old and the new: the historic Irish Arts Center building and our state-of-the-art new facility, providing a secondary entrance to welcome visitors through an expanded community garden.

ALMOST HOME CAPITAL CAMPAIGN INSTITUTIONAL SUPPORTERS

City of New York and New York City Council Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Government of Ireland State of New York and New York State Assembly Kate and Bob Devlin

LEAD DONORS

Roma Downey

Loretta Brennan Glucksman

FOUNDERS

Anonymous (3) Gerry Boyle

Caroline and Andy Breslin Patricia and James J. Houlihan Patricia and John Nallen

Shane Naughton Diane and James Quinn

CENTENARY CIRCLE

Norah and John S. Daly John G. Duffy Georganne Aldrich Heller Deborah and Brian Henry Pamela and Thomas Campbell Jackson Eileen and Kevin J. Keane Coca-Cola in Honor of Donald Keough

Melissa and Paul Keary Julia and Declan Kelly Mary and Shaun Kelly John Fitzpatrick Margaret and Michael McGrath Joan and Tom Moran Kathleen and Donal O’Sullivan

A SEAT IN YOUR HONOR

Carolyn and Andrew Albstein Froma and Andrew Benerofe Paula and Donal Clancy Laura and Michael Higgins

Tina and Adrian Jones John Martin Sheila and Gene McCarthy Mary Lou and Joe Quinlan

SPECIAL THANKS TO OUR MANY PARTNERS IN GOVERNMENT

Taoiseach Enda Kenny; Minister Charlie Flanagan, DFAT; U.S. Congress Member Joseph Crowley; Governor Andrew Cuomo; Mayor Bill de Blasio; New York City Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito; Council Member Elizabeth Crowley; Council Member Daniel Dromm; Council Member Corey Johnson; Council Majority Leader Jimmy Van Bramer; New York City Comptroller Scott Stringer; Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer; Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie; Assembly Member Michael Cusick, Chairman, NYS Irish American Legislators Society; Assembly Member Brian Kavanagh; Assembly Member Linda Rosenthal; Secretary General Niall Burgess, DFAT; Ambassador Anne Anderson; Consul General Barbara Jones; Former Taoiseach Brian Cowen; Minister Former Micheál Martin TD; Former Consul General Noel Kilkenny; Former Governor George Pataki; John Cahill; Former Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg; Former Speaker Christine C. Quinn THANKS ALSO TO OUR CAPITAL CAMPAIGN SUPPORTERS

Anonymous, Brendan Banahan, John Barnes, Mary Trinity and Dan Barry, Marian Begley, Sean Benson, Gina and David Boonshoft, Meg Bradley, Monica Brady, Patsy and John Brennan, George Burns, Linda Burns, James Callanan, Mary and James Campbell, Bob Carey, Darrah Carr, Leonard Cecere, John Clancy, Ruth Clark, Raymond Cohen, Mary and James Coleman, Brian Conaty, Audrey and Fergus Coughlan, Edmond Creed, Aileen Deene-Bolton, Vince DeGiaimo, Patrick Devaney, Linda and Tom Devine, David Doherty, Stacy Donovan, Sean Casey Egan, Elizabeth Fearon Pepperman, Robin Fitelson, John Fogarty, Robin Gallagher, Mike Gibbons, Francis Greenburger, Stuart Greenfield, Aruna and Ram Gupta, Joan Gurry, Pat and Mike Hayes, Anna and Joseph Houlihan, Daniel J. Houlihan, Maureen and Gerard Houlihan, John Hughes, Jr., Bernadette and Thomas Huvane, Geraldine and Joseph Jordan, Joseph Keady, Elizabeth Kelne, Kate and Tim Kennon, Mary Ellen and Denis Loncto, Patricia Lopinski, Desmond Lyons, Jeff MacDonagh, Vivian Majeski, Frances and Eugene Maxwell, Kenane and Brendan McDonagh, Margaret McKenna, Brendan Meyer, Joan and William Mooney, Robert J. Morrissey, Finbarr O’Neill, Michele and Stephen Pagnotta, Francine Parnes, Charles Persico, Rosemary Quigley, Peter Quinn, Eileen Raftery, Maureen Reilly, Jim Richards, Nancy Roach, Bonnie and David Sacarny, Jonathan Shannon, Meghan Sharer, John Shea, Brian Spaulding, Ilsa and Murray Stark, Jean Suidan, Lisa Mary Sullivan, and Theresa Walsh

“Great artists are not just born...

they grow with the nurturing and support of institutions and patrons who give them the opportunity to tell their stories and take us, the audience, on a journey that connects us ever deeper to our artistic heartbeat.

Irish Arts Center is exactly that kind of welcoming home.�

LIAM NEESON HONORARY CO-CHAIR