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< ANNUAL REPORT TO THE COMMUNITY

Engagement

ArtsFund brings together donors as well as civic, business, and public entities to form a collective that believes in the transformative power of arts and culture. Our engagement efforts provide a platform for these audiences to gather and celebrate our thriving arts community.

 

Seven round-corned squares containing information on ArtsFund's Engagement data in 2024. One light blue square says 400 attendees came to engagement events. One dark blue square says ArtsFund had four workplace-giving events. One orange square says ArtsFund had 235 new donors. Another orange square says 5 ArtsFund Visionaries Events. Another light blue square says ArtsFund had three pop-up events. Another dark blue square says ArtsFund had 799 individual donors and the last light blue square says we had 114 Institutional donors.

 

EVENTS

Celebration of the Arts

On September 24, 2024, hundreds of supporters gathered at a new location for Celebration of the Arts, McCaw Hall at Seattle Center. The event featured an exhilarating keynote conversation about accessibility in the arts between Jim LeBrecht, Crip Camp Co-Director and activist, and Michael Greer, ArtsFund President & CEO. The afternoon was filled with interactive arts moments featuring musician Ben Hunter and collaborative painter Jesse Higman, followed  by performances from just a few of ArtsFund’s Cultural Partners including North Seattle Mariachi, Northwest Tap Connection, Pacific Northwest Ballet, Sound Theatre, and Tacoma Refugee Choir.

To ensure our event was as inclusive as possible, ArtsFund provided accessibility-focused accommodations to create a positive and welcoming event experience for all.

Learn more about Celebration of the Arts

Accessibility Accommodations for this event included: ASL Interpretation, Assistive Listening Devices, Braille Programs, Caregiver Entry, Dietary Accommodations, Large Print Programs, Quiet Space, Service Animal Friendly, Wheelchair Accessible.

“Supporting ArtsFund means I am helping to fund the music events I love to attend. The arts bring joy to my life, and ArtsFund provides vital support to local arts organizations, cultural groups, and passionate individuals in the community.”

Laura Ibanez Martin, ArtsFund Donor

Musicians from the Orquesta Northwest North Seattle Mariachi perform with violins and guitars on a stage.
Zsilas Michael Hughes, dressed in a beautiful, white gown, (PNB Dancer) performs "The Calling."
A crowd of attendees gather around a live painting with artist Jesse Higman. The table has splashes of blue, purple, and white on it.
Donors sit in the auditorium seats of McCall Hall, listening and watching intently.
ArtsFund President and CEO Michael Greer and Keynote Speaker Jim LeBrecht sit close together in motorized wheelchairs.
Musicians from the Orquesta Northwest North Seattle Mariachi perform with violins and guitars on a stage.
Zsilas Michael Hughes, dressed in a beautiful, white gown, (PNB Dancer) performs "The Calling."
A crowd of attendees gather around a live painting with artist Jesse Higman. The table has splashes of blue, purple, and white on it.
Donors sit in the auditorium seats of McCall Hall, listening and watching intently.
ArtsFund President and CEO Michael Greer and Keynote Speaker Jim LeBrecht sit close together in motorized wheelchairs.

ArtsFund would like to acknowledge the generosity of our attendees, including Leadership Circle donors, and sponsors, whose support enabled us to raise meaningful funds in support of ArtsFund. Sponsorship support underwrote costs associated with the event, enabling funds raised to directly benefit ArtsFund’s mission and programs.

Thank You To Our Sponsors: Presenting Sponsor: Microsoft Curiosity Sponsor: Amazon Inspiration Sponsors: Bank of America, Delta Dental of Washington, Sellen Community Foundation and Umpqua Bank Exhibition Sponsor: West Monroe Reflection Sponsors: Fearey, Stoel Rives, Williams, Liz Berry and Michael Hill, and Midtown Collective In-Kind Sponsors: Litho Craft, Punch Drunk and Sunshine & Poppies

We thank our 2024 Celebration of the Arts sponsors, who helped ensure a successful event! We hope you’ll join us for the 2025 Celebration of the Arts event on September 11th!

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LEADERSHIP CIRCLE

Michael and Anne Bentley ​

Karen Bergin and Sean Puffett ​

Cheri Brennan and Tom Horsley​

Stephan Coonrod and Cheryl Clark ​

Jim and Gaylee Duncan ​

Kevin P. Fox and Lynne Fox​

Robert and Carole Goldberg​

Clay Gustaves and Noelle Rose​

Erin and Richard Hobson​

Jackie Jones and Tyler Woebkenberg​

Divya Kapuria & Heartland LLC​

Tom Leonidas ​

Frances Luke​

Maria Mackey and Joe Breskin

Elizabeth MacPherson Hearn and Jon Hearn

Lynn Manley and Lex Lindsey​

Rachel and Doug McCall ​

Anthony and Erica Miles​

Yazmin Mehdi and Liam Lavery​

Leslie and Mark Olson​

Brian and Phoebe Paulen ​

Leslie Ray and Michael Bernstein

​Andrew and Peg Recinos ​

Goldie and Don Silverman ​

Cindy Snyder ​

Kent Stowell and Francia Russell​

Loren and Daria Supp ​

Andrea W. Templeton​

Walker Family Fund

 

 

Pop-Ups

ArtsFund engaged community members through Pop-Up events in collaboration with Cultural Partners. Our first Pop-Up was with Seattle International Film Festival (SIFF) which included a behind-the-scenes look at their many festivals and a discussion around programming, community-based audience development, and working with local partners to grow audiences and access. In February, our Pop-Up was in conjunction with a performance of Swan Lake at Pacific Northwest Ballet featuring remarks from Peter Boal, Pacific Northwest Ballet Artistic Director, as well as Kent Stowell, Pacific Northwest Ballet Founding Artistic Director and Swan Lake Choreographer. We also held our first family-friendly Pop-Up event with Seattle Children’s Theatre in partnership with Safeco-Liberty Mutual. Families enjoyed a performance of A Tale of Peter Rabbit and family-friendly activities.

ArtsFund Pop-Ups are a donor benefit. Visit us online to learn more about our donor benefits. To learn more about Pop-Ups email Kaitlin Hurley at kaitlinhurley@artsfund.org.

Accessibility Accommodations for this event included: ASL Interpretation, and Event space information in advanced.

Leslie Ray and an adult man carrying his child talk to an off-screen person.

An adult man stands in front of a mic. He's wearing a navy-clue cardigan over an orange button-up shirt, and blue jeans. Behind is is a sign reading, "Thank You to our event sponsor SAFECO - Liberty Mutual"

Photos by CapturedSea Photography and courtesy of Seattle Children’s Theatre

 

ArtsFund Visionaries

The ArtsFund Visionaries (AFV) program provides opportunities for young professionals to connect and uplift the mission of bolstering the arts together. As of FY24, AFV is now free for anyone to join, allowing everyone with a passion for the arts the opportunity to connect with this community. AFV connects emerging leaders and business professionals between 21 and 45 years of age to our vision – a community where the arts are accessible to all and valued as critical to a healthy society. Members of the Visionaries program supported ArtsFund through personal contributions in FY24, and were actively engaged in arts activities, performances, and presentations organized by ArtsFund in collaboration with ArtsFund’s grantees and Cultural Partners, such as exclusive events with ACT Theatre and showcasing local visual artists. We invite anyone interested to sign up!

About ArtsFund Visionaries

 

Donor Programs

Workplace Giving

ArtsFund would like to thank all of the companies and employees who participated in our FY24 Workplace Giving campaigns. Our campaigns highlighted ArtsFund’s arts partners including Earshot Jazz, 5th Avenue Theatre, and Totem Star, and engaged nearly 200 individual donors, offering employees the opportunity to rally together and support the arts in Washington.

Plan your next Workplace Giving event with ArtsFund.

An adult man wearing a blue blazer over a light-blue shirt and blue slacks gives a presentation in a conference room in front of a group of professionals. Behind him is a screen with the words, "2024 Campaign Goal: $75,000"

Workplace Giving with K&L Gates and Northwest Boy Choir

Left Photo: Workplace Giving with Sellen Construction and Seattle Rep, photo by Marley Dzis-Corey
Right Photo: Workplace Giving with K&L Gates and Northwest Boy Choir, Photo by Chlesea Judd

Logos: K&L Gates, Perkins Coie, Sellen, and West Monroe.

ArtsFund Luminaries

In FY24, we launched our planned giving program, the ArtsFund Luminaries. Planned giving plays a vital role in ensuring a strong future for ArtsFund because it helps us plan and strengthen our programs to successfully fulfill our mission. Making a planned gift with ArtsFund means leaving a long-term impact on the arts community and creating a bright future for the arts.

We are excited to recognize members of the ArtsFund Luminaries who have joined us in creating a community with a dynamic, equitable, and robust cultural sector where the arts are accessible to all and valued as central and critical to a healthy society.

We look forward to announcing more planned giving opportunities as this program grows! If you are interested in learning more about the ArtsFund Luminaries you can read more here or email Kaitlin Hurley at kaitlinhurley@artsfund.org.

About ArtsFund Luminaries

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