Save Richmond

Arts coverage lacking? Who could possibly say that?

Emphasis mine:

Arts Group: Halfway There
Richmond Times-Dispatch
Sept. 13, 2006

The Virginia Performing Arts Foundation says it has raised more than half the money needed to build two smaller theaters as part of a renovation of the Carpenter Center.

Officials released few details but announced last night new pledges and commitments totaling $10.5 million toward a goal of raising $20 million by Dec. 31.

The amount raised includes $6 million from 30 individuals, corporations and foundations, said J. Robert Mooney, acting executive director of the arts foundation.

The rest is a state grant of $4.5 million, which was previously announced. Mooney provided no breakdown but said the total includes cash that has been released and money pledged, some of it with conditions.

A committee appointed by Mayor L. Douglas Wilder has recommended the enhanced plan for the Carpenter Center if the $20 million to pay for the extra theaters can be raised by the end of 2006.

“The importance, I think, is momentum,” Mooney said, “and we feel very positive we can reach our goal.”

Gosh. This music sounds familiar but I can’t seem to place the tune.

Oh, now I remember:

“We’re a pay-as-you-go operation,” says [Foundation president Brad] Armstrong. “The first thing we are going to do is the performing arts center. That’s about $100 million. Fifteen million of that is an endowment so that we can offer the performing arts organizations there a subsidized rent.” To date, the VPAF has raised about $43.5 million dollars. — June 2004

The foundation reports it has raised $48.9 million, which includes $11.6 million in cash and $37.3 million in written pledges. … [Brad] Armstrong insisted the foundation’s numbers aren’t exaggerated and said he’s convinced the community will provide the necessary support. “We don’t count a dollar raised unless we have a written quote from the donor.” — Dec., 2004

The foundation reported having raised $54.5 million through December. That leaves it about $38.5 million short of its goal for the first phase of construction.— Mar. 2005

As of this week, the foundation reported having raised about $66.7 million in cash and pledges. The total includes $8.5 million from the state that requires final approval by the General Assembly. — Apr. 2005

$13.3 million… is what the foundation reported to federal tax officials in cash, pledges and in-kind gifts as of June 30, 2004. …. $40.8 million is what the foundation had been telling Richmonders it had raised as of that date. The discrepancy has been recent fodder for arts-center critics who run the Web site www.SaveRichmond.com. Foundation officials explained their figures yesterday. They said the biggest chunk of the larger figure is some $23.3 million the city of Richmond has promised from meals-tax collections but not yet paid. “It’s considered a semi-contingent public fund,” said Brad Armstrong, president of the performing arts foundation — May, 2005

A little bit softer now, a little bit softer now…

Hello Everyone,

Every day brings exciting news to the Virginia Performing Arts Foundation. I’d like share some of the highlights:

• We have reached over two-thirds of our $98 million fundraising goal to build a new performing arts center on what used to be the Thalhimers block downtown;

• Our architects and engineers have completed the design for a beautiful building;

• The Thalhimers building has been removed and the site prepared for construction;

• We received an $8.5 million commitment from the Commonwealth of Virginia, the largest arts and culture grant ever;

• We successfully merged with the Carpenter Center;

• The young professionals’ support group, OPUS, has doubled in membership;

• By unanimous vote, City Council extended the deadline to December 2006 for raising the additional $30 million to finish the funding for the Performing Arts Center. We are grateful for their vote of confidence, which, by the way, had no cost to the City.

Great things happen when the arts and culture organizations join together. — VAPAF Chairman Jim Ukrop, VAPAF newsletter, July 2005

Still, something’s missing from this haunting oldtime melody I can’t get out of my head.

Oh, right, the catchy chorus. It must be repeated for maximum enjoyment:

“I think it is premature” to talk about cutting the foundation off. They’re in the middle of a capital campaign . . . there seems to be some fundraising momentum.“ — VAPAF board member and city councilman Bill Pantele, Aug. 2005

This entry was posted on Thursday, September 14th, 2006 at 03:05 and is filed under our social betters, something smells funny in here. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Responses are currently closed, but you can trackback from your own site.