The Carnegie Arts Center will soon unveil its latest addition – a window inscribed with the names of donors who helped make the Carnegie possible.
The Founders’ Wall bears the name of every donor who has given $10,000 or more to the Carnegie Arts Center. The names are divided into tiers, with the biggest donors – those with galleries named in their honor – in the top tier and a larger font.
Recently-retired Carnegie Arts Center Executive Director Rebecca Phillips Abbott, who spearheaded the fundraising campaign in partnership with Jeani Ferrari, said the names on that wall are deserving of honor.
“The Founders are the best evidence there is of a close community in Turlock,” said Abbott. “People came together to create an ambitious arts center in a period of economic hardship and succeeded. There couldn't have been more difficult challenges.”
The pledged dollars all went to the Carnegie Arts Center Endowment, which will help insure the continued operation of the center for many years to come.
“I'm really very happy to see our Founders recognized on a wall that will remain at the entrance to the Carnegie for a great many years to come,” Abbott said.
Most of the donors have been involved since before the Carnegie Arts Center’s reconstruction began in 2010, following an arson fire that burned the old Carnegie to the ground in 2005. The $6.6 million reconstruction, funded by the City of Turlock, included a large expansion to the old 1916 Carnegie library.
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The Founders’ Wall will be formally unveiled to the public during a March 7 ceremony.
There is still room on the wall for more donors to be added at the Founders level, Carnegie Arts Center staff said. Donors can pledge to donate $10,000 over 10 years and be added to the wall.
A second wall of recognition is currently in planning, intended to recognize the “Friends” of the Carnegie. Those Friends donate between $1,000 and $9,000 to the arts center.
“That campaign will continue for a period to come, along with efforts to secure a donor for the last remaining named gift opportunity, the Loft,” Abbott said.
The Carnegie Arts Center is located at 250 N. Broadway, Turlock.
For more information, or to donate, visit www.carnegieartsturlock.org or call 209-632-5761.
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