Ovation Newsletter | Spring 2019

O

SPRING 2019

IN THIS ISSUE

vation

Corporate Partnerships Education and Individual Donors The Journey

The Palladium | Photo by Steve Hall

Your Giving Changes Lives As the Center for the Performing Arts continues its 2018-19 Season this spring, we shine a spotlight of gratitude on the many individuals and corporate partners who bring our mission to life.

The mission of the Center for the Performing Arts is to engage and inspire the Central Indiana community through enriching arts experiences.

As Winston Churchill said, “We make a living by what we get. We make a life by what we give.” Indeed, philanthropy gives life to the performance halls and educational programs abuzz around the Center’s campus. Thank you for making this cultural asset brim with brio!

Thanks to diverse, appealing programming, earned revenue from ticket sales has increased over recent

years, but contributed support from individual donors, corporate partners and grant-making foundations is more important than ever. Philanthropy helps maintain accessible ticket prices – especially meaningful for first-time attendees and underserved segments of our community. Philanthropic support also enables the Center to offer such wide-ranging educational programs for everyone from young children to adults.

To build the long-term financial health and sustainability of the institution, we have redoubled our stewardship practices to enhance communication with existing and prospective donors.

This includes utilizing social media, broader communication tools and illustrating the impact of how your giving touches lives.

We are grateful for the many ways you support the Center for the Performing

Arts – attending performances, giving charitably, volunteering, and advocating for the arts throughout the community. I look forward to continuing our journey together on behalf of this very special community asset.

Michael Pettry Vice President of Development

Corporate Partners

Corporate Support Builds Community Assets If you have attended a Center Presents performance during this 2018-19 Season, you likely noticed an increase in corporate support of our series offerings.

In addition to Season Sponsor Allied Solutions, we depend on support from leaders in the regional corporate community to bring arts and entertainment to life and keep ticket prices accessible for our audiences.

The current season includes both familiar partners who have a long-standing tradition of recognizing the value of engagement with the Center, as well as new partners who have stepped forward. We are pleased to welcome Wells Fargo The Private Bank as series sponsor of the Songbook Series this season.

“The alignment between Wells Fargo and the Songbook Series is incredible,” says Dan Philpott, Vice President at Wells Fargo. “We embrace the opportunity to serve the community and simultaneously expand our service to clients.”

as the series sponsor in pre-performance remarks, complimentary performance tickets and access to exclusive Founders Room hospitality receptions during intermissions.

Last season, the Center hosted more than 100,000 ticketed patrons and more than 200,000 other visitors during public events on our campus; we’re on track to exceed that figure in the current season.

Indeed, partnering with the Center has its benefits!

Nearly 50 percent of ticket buyers this season have been new, which speaks to the institution’s expanding reach throughout the region.

As the Center expands its educational programs for children and adults, and attendance at Center Presents performances continues to reach new audiences, we say thanks to generous corporate partners who make these programs possible.

This adds to an already robust array of series sponsors spanning this season, including the Printing Partners Classical Series, Drewry Simmons Vornehm Jazz Series, Katz, Sapper & Miller Series, St. Vincent Holiday Series and the Old Town Companies Family Series.

All sponsors receive many privileges and benefits customized to address the diverse goals associated with a partnership. In fact, flexibility is chief among the benefits of a corporate partnership with the Center. Customized opportunities most effectively benefit all parties involved!

Benefits include branding throughout the Palladium and across the Center’s entire campus, recognition

Braden Hurley

Director of Corporate Development To learn more about corporate partnerships, contact Director of Corporate Development Braden Hurley at BHurley@TheCenterPresents.org or 317.819.3519.

Education and Individual Donors

STEM to STEAM and Everything in Between A growing base of education and social science research shows how crucial arts integration is to creating well-rounded, well-prepared learners and leaders. Recognizing this, education programs are key components in the Center’s overall mission. Thanks to the support of people just like you, we provide arts experiences, learning opportunities, and cultural enrichment through programs for children, teens, adults, families, schools, and community partners.

Programs such as the Science of Light & Sound give local third-grade students hands-on experience exploring sound propagation and characteristics of light. These 45-minute sessions – provided free to schools and led by the Center’s audio and lighting engineers – reinforce the physics principles taught in the classroom using the Palladium’s state-of-the-art technology. You might be saying to yourself, “If only programs like this existed when I was in grade school!”

The Palladium is a befitting environment for the program, melding education objectives with realworld experience and turning STEM into STEAM with the addition of the arts. While the students enjoy the engaging demonstrations, enthusiastically shouting out vocabulary words such as “frequency” and “refraction,” teachers appreciate that the program aligns with Indiana standards for third-grade science instruction.

One third-grader declared after experiencing the Science of Light & Sound, “I learned that the Palladium uses science to make the sound waves move around longer and make people be able to hear what’s going around anywhere in the room!”

Another education initiative, KAR Front Seat sponsored

by KAR Auction Services, provides unique access to professional performers for high school and college students with interests in the performing arts. At select events, students sit in on the featured artist’s preperformance sound check and rehearsal, then engage in Q&A sessions or special workshops with these accomplished performers, followed by dinner and complimentary tickets to the performance.

A local university professor whose young-adult students recently participated in the KAR Front Seat program stated, “Many of the students do not get an opportunity to talk with a musician of David Sanborn's professional stature and experience. He welcomed the students warmly, was candid in his discussion and encouraged them to continue with their music, if only for their own enjoyment. He explained his motivation – performances are a spiritual experience for him – and I think the students were moved and inspired.”

We recognize that learning is a lifelong experience, and that multi-generational, family-based opportunities elevate the entire family. Students are encouraged to bring family members to KAR Front Seat sessions as well. Said a recent high school student attendee, “Thank you so much! My grandfather and I had an absolutely amazing time (at Neil Berg’s 50 Years of Rock and Roll performance in January 2019)!

The performance was phenomenal, and I even got signatures! Thank you so, so much for the opportunity to see the sound check, hear advice from the performers about the industry, and see the (Songbook Exhibit Gallery) exhibit; the whole experience was stunning and eye-opening. Thank you!”

Your gifts to the Center make high-caliber education and outreach opportunities available to more than 6,000 learners of all ages each performance season.

Your generosity enables us to provide transformative educational experiences that directly affect what type of community Central Indiana will be for generations to come.

To learn more about how your support impacts thousands of lives, Contact Kendra M. Latta, Director of Individual Development at KLatta@ TheCenterPresents.org or 317.819.3528.

Kendra M. Latta Director of Individual Development

The Journey Richard & Cathy Hahn

Beyond the Ticket Stub: Becoming a Donor Richard and Cathy Hahn have always enjoyed attending local entertainment events, theatre, and arts performances. So, when these dedicated arts patrons heard about what was coming to Central Indiana just under a decade ago, they saw an exciting opportunity to become involved. As the Center for the Performing Arts blossomed, the Hahns were pleased by the growing list of diverse performances offered on campus.

That’s why it made sense for Richard and Cathy to make their first gift to the Center this season. Not only do the Hahns enjoy the diversity of performances, the multiple venues at the Center, and all the amenities on our campus, they found it important to support an organization that opens possibilities to others. “We try to give to as many organizations as we can and were compelled by your education programs that allow younger people to appreciate the beauty of the arts.”

Once they attended a few events, they were hooked.

They understand that it takes a village to make meaningful art available to many, and they are happy to do their part to ensure the next generation can experience the same engaging performances.

Soon Richard and Cathy became annual subscribers, finding a wide variety of performances that they could enjoy together. While their musical tastes often differ, the couple introduce each other to new music through their Create-Your-Own Series subscription.

Describing himself as a “frustrated musician,” Richard appreciates just how much dedication, time, and effort it takes for instrumentalists like Wynton Marsalis, Harry Connick Jr., and Chris Botti to wow audiences during performances at the Palladium. “I played trumpet in high school and in college, in various bands and orchestras,” he recalled. “My favorite experience was being in the jazz band. I was lucky to play with excellent musicians who helped my own musicianship grow.”

And while he never has played professionally, Richard is heartened when artists like Harry Connick Jr. share their talents with younger musicians: “We were impressed by him, not only for the talent he showcased, but how he featured young, up-and-coming artists during his performance. There’s no doubt he knows firsthand how important it is to be introduced to the arts at a young age.”

Robin Briskey Annual Fund & Corporate Relations Manager Consider becoming a first-time donor to the Center.

To learn more or to make a donation, contact Robin Briskey at RBriskey@TheCenterPresents.org or 317.819.3533.

YOUR TICKET CONCIERGE Everything you need to know to secure your favorite seats, worry-free.

Let’s get you seated!

JOIN THE DIRECTOR'S CIRCLE Make a charitable gift of $2,500+ to the Center and receive access to exclusive concierge ticketing. You can easily give online at TheCenterPresents.org/Donate. Thank you for your generosity!

CONCIERGE: AT YOUR SERVICE Skip the line by emailing Concierge@TheCenterPresents.org to secure your favorite seats, getting you closer to that performance you’ve been waiting for all year.

UNLOCK YOUR DONOR PRESALE Take advantage of presale access: Donors at $250+ have the earliest access to tickets any time a new performance is added to our season.

PRIORITY WAIT LIST Missed the presale? Performance sold out? Not to worry! As a Director’s Circle donor, you have access to our priority wait list and exclusive holds so that you don’t miss a single note.

YOUR TICKETS ARE SECURED What’s left? Sit back and enjoy the performance from your favorite seat, knowing that you’ve helped make the music happen.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR GENEROUS SUPPORT Questions? Email Tara Eubanks at TEubanks@TheCenterPresents.org

SPONSOR SPOTLIGHT

Taft is a full-service law firm located in the Midwest. Its 460 attorneys serve a wide range of industries, including manufacturing, health and life sciences, automotive, technology, and many others. Kelly Sharpe, who has managed Taft’s sponsorship since the Center’s opening season, sheds light on Taft’s focus on the community.

Taft has been a generous sponsor of the Center from the very beginning. What initially attracted Taft to the Center?

Our managing partner, Bob Hicks, joined the Center’s board as a founding board member when the Center was just beginning. It was a very exciting time to be a part of this new, worldclass facility right in the heart of Central Indiana, and a fantastic opportunity for Taft to showcase a new venue to clients.

As a sponsor, we have exclusive access to host premier events and go behind the scenes, which allows us to present the top-notch client service on which we pride ourselves. We also believe in the importance of supporting our community, and a sponsorship at the Center has been a perfect opportunity to support the arts.

In what ways do you feel that your corporate culture values the arts?

Taft believes in a strong, well-rounded community, and we feel that it is important to support the organizations that make our community thrive. Our attorneys are involved in a multitude of community organizations, whose missions align with their passions.

Through their involvement, we support local music, arts, and theater, therefore contributing to the diverse performances that make the community vibrant.

How to Give to the Center Philanthropy comes in many forms. Consider the best way to maximize your charitable giving to the Center.

CASH GIFTS

To make an immediate impact, write a check or make a gift online at TheCenterPresents.org/Donate.

MATCHING GIFTS

Utilize matching gift programs offered by your employer to multiply your gift.

IRA DISTRIBUTION

Individuals age 70½ or older can direct all or part of their IRA-required minimum distribution to nonprofit organizations without income tax penalties.

GIFTS OF STOCK

Transfer appreciated stock and avoid capital gains tax.

LEGACY GIVING

Leave a legacy for future generations by including a gift to the Center in your estate plan.

The Development staff is on call to answer your giving questions and take care of the details for you.

Contact Kendra M. Latta, Director of Individual Development, at KLatta@TheCenterPresents.org or 317.819.3528.

Don’t miss upcoming performances this spring, including Michael Feinstein with the Carmel Symphony Orchestra on April 13, Amy Grant on May 3 and Tony Bennett on May 8.

The Board of Directors welcomed nine new members: Barbara Branic, Dave Burnett, Rebecca Byrnes, Del Demaree, Sam Muse, Jim Purvis, Laurie Siler, David Temple, and Mike Wells.

The mission of the Center for the Performing Arts is to engage and inspire the Central Indiana community through enriching arts experiences.

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