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EMBARGOED UNTIL THURSDAY, JULY 21, 2016 @ 8am CST
ArtsKC Raises More than Half a Million Dollars for Local Arts Community!
Kansas City, MO (July 21, 2016) – ArtsKC – Regional Arts Council announced last night that the 2016 ArtsKC Fund Campaign raised $500,203. This is ArtsKC’s second-largest campaign in six years, and fourth-largest since the inception of the ArtsKC Fund in 2007. ArtsKC will allocate funds from the Campaign to make grants to artists, arts organizations, and arts programs throughout the Kansas City region. ArtsKC also announced last night a new Community Fund for Arts Education, spearheaded by a generous donation from the David T. Beals III Charitable Trust. This fund will serve as a catalyst to promote the advancement of arts education for the Kansas City region.
2016 ArtsKC Fund Campaign Chairman Steve McDowell stated, “The ArtsKC Fund provides crucial financial support for Kansas City’s artists, arts programs, and arts organizations. While we are extremely proud of the results of this year’s campaign, we know the demand for these grants will only continue to increase as Kansas City’s cultural community grows. We must continue to invest in the ArtsKC Fund in order to maintain Kansas City as the thriving, diverse, dynamic place we all love.”
Since the inception of the Campaign in 2007, the ArtsKC Fund has raised more than $4.6 million and provided more than 800 grants. Each year, the ArtsKC Fund is supported by individual donations, foundation support, corporate contributions, investments from municipalities, and workplace giving campaigns across the metropolitan area.
“I cannot thank enough the donors, workplace giving campaign managers, volunteers, and corporate leaders who made this year’s campaign possible,” said Lydia Allen, ArtsKC Fund Manager. “The broad base of support from these groups is an important investment in Kansas City’s cultural legacy.”
Campaign leaders, volunteers, donors and ArtsKC Fund grant recipients celebrated the end of the campaign on Wednesday evening, July 20th on the rooftop lounge of the Lead Bank building in the Crossroads. More than 100 guests gathered to celebrate the closing of the campaign and hear the new total of funds raised. During the celebration and remarks, ArtsKC Board Chairman, Brad Douglas shared, “The ArtsKC Fund Campaign is the primary way ArtsKC fulfills our support priority, and was founded on the idea that together, we can have a greater impact on our arts community than we could alone.” ArtsKC has set the goal of $550,000 for the 2017 ArtsKC Fund Campaign.
About ArtsKC – Regional Arts Council:
The mission of ArtsKC - Regional Arts Council is to unleash the power of the arts. Our work brings together people, resources, and ideas to build a community of great dreams and vigorous life, where everyone participates in and benefits from the arts. We promote, support, and advocate for the arts. Please visit our website www.ArtsKC.org for more information.
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