Livermore Valley Performing Arts Center will mark the end of its fiscal year, June 30, 2017, with the “Amplify the Arts” fundraising campaign geared towards the goal of reaching 150 gifts in the final 15 days. Gifts can be of any size, and generous board and staff donations at major milestones will work to amplify the total giving. After the first 50 gifts, Development Director Chris Carter will donate $1,000. After the 100th gift, Executive Director Scott Kenison will donate $5,000, and at 150 gifts Board Chair Jean King will donate $10,000. The Livermore Valley Performing Arts Center shifted to a June year-end schedule last year to better align the administrative and budgeting process with the theatrical season.

The fundraising campaign comes as the Livermore Valley Performing Arts Center reaches the close of a successful 12-month period that has seen positive momentum in show attendance, educational program participation, and major sponsorship commitments. The first show in the 2017 Summer Series, comedian Paula Poundstone on July 7th, is already sold out and member presales for the just announced 2017-2018 season at the Bankhead were nearly 70 percent higher than sales last year in the same time period. Tickets for the new season went on sale to the public June 14th.

“In everything we do, we are focused on sharing the arts and building relationships within the community,” said Chris Carter, development director. “We truly want to ‘Amplify the Arts’ and this campaign allows everyone to participate in doing that. Any gift counts towards the total, even if you’ve already made a gift this year, and donors of more than $125 will receive member benefits. Best of all, every dollar helps us bring great artists to the stage, support resident companies, offer student art classes, and put free cultural arts events on the plaza,” he added. “The campaign only runs for 15 days, so the time is short, but the benefits are long.”

The past 12 months have also seen an increase in key sponsorships. This year’s annual Brilliance at the Bankhead Gala in September, featuring Grammy Award-winning folk-pop duo the Indigo Girls, already has three “Presenting sponsors”: the Fletcher family, Jean King, and the Priem Family Foundation. In addition, there are more than a dozen sponsors at other levels and total sponsorship dollars are significantly higher than for last year’s event.

Another generous gift recently seeded a new initiative, “The Producer’s Circle.” As a non-profit, independent arts organization, the Livermore Valley Performing Arts Center is not owned by the City of Livermore and depends on donations from individuals, corporations and foundations. As with nearly every arts center in the country, ticket sales cover just 60 percent of the total cost of presenting performances and events. Deciding what shows to present each season is a complicated calculation. Choices must fit the budget, artist availability, open dates, and other factors. The Bankhead strives to offer entertainment that is accessible and appealing to diverse audiences. It can be difficult to find the right balance between repeating shows that have an established audience and introducing shows that are fascinating but unfamiliar. Some artist fees are above the price range and marketing costs for unknown artists can be high. The new Producer’s Circle aims to help alleviate these challenges, providing the ability to present shows at a higher level while keeping prices affordable. The fund, made up of gifts of $5,000 or more, will help minimize the financial impact of more artistically adventurous choices.

Carter believes the Producer’s Circle will be essential to supporting great art at the Bankhead, while keeping the organization on its path to long-term sustainability. “What makes the Producer’s Circle special is that members will have opportunities to participate at key points in the planning process,” Carter said. “They’ll attend select meetings, help solicit suggestions, and provide input on artists under consideration. Being part of the process gives a fascinating inside view into how the organization works, a better understanding of our challenges, and a sense of the fun we have bringing great shows to the Bankhead. They’ll know they played a role in making it happen.”

Livermore Valley Performing Arts Center offers wide-ranging programs that provide access to the arts for the Tri-Valley community and beyond. Located in the heart of downtown Livermore, the Bankhead Theater welcomes artists from diverse musical genres, as well as theater, dance, comedy and other entertainment to suit all ages. The Bothwell Arts Center at 2466 Eighth Street is an arts incubator, offering affordable studio, classroom, rehearsal, performance and event space. Art exhibits curated by the Bothwell are on display year round in the Visitor’s Center and Gallery in the lobby of the Bankhead Theater which is open to the public seven days a week. Together the Bankhead and Bothwell are home to nine resident performing arts companies and over 40 studio artists and cultural arts instructors. For more information visit www.lvpac.org.