By Pete Humes
pete.humes@insidebiz.com
The men and women behind the Virginia Arts Festival have long been recognized as leaders in the performing arts. They know music. They know dance. They even know bagpipes and acrobats.
But they are also well-versed in the fine art of raising money.
After 20 seasons of bringing culture to the Hampton Roads community, the VAF is counting on its newly announced VAForever campaign as the organization’s fundraising magnum opus.
The VAF refers to its $12 million initiative as “A Game-Changing Campaign for the 20th Season and Beyond.” And after already securing more than $9 million in gifts and commitments during the silent phase of the campaign, it appears that the game will indeed be changed.
“That we could secure this impressive level in so short a time is testament of the importance of Virginia Arts Festival to this community, its reputation for artistic excellence and the community’s confidence in its fiscal responsibility,” campaign chair Jim Hixon said in a statement. “We’ve only just begun. We have ambitious goals, and we need ambitious donors to help us reach them.”
The main priority of VAForever is to earmark $9 million as new endowment funds. Organizers had a goal to “raise the bar” for the 20th season, and those endowment funds will ensure that the bar stays raised for the future.
“For the first 19 seasons, we have presented some of the greatest artists from around the world,” said Perry Artistic Director Robert W. Cross. “As we launch the 20th season and prepare for the future, generous and loyal supporters have provided the anchor gifts we need to increase the number of world-class artists we present each season and create more original productions and world premieres.”
The VAF will dedicate $3 million to a “game-changing fund,” capital improvements and special projects.
“The money will allow us to attract more high-profile artists and expand our education programs throughout the year,” general manager Scott Jackson said.
Making the arts accessible to the Hampton Roads student population is a core goal of the VAF.
“It’s not enough to have artists just swing into town and leave,” Jackson said. “It’s very important to us that they’re making a difference for students. It’s important that we’re working with the local school districts to ask them, ‘What can we offer? How can we be a resource?’”
The VAForever campaign is projected to wrap up by June 2017. In order for the group to reach its final goal, it is reaching out to a broader base of past donors, current festival attendees and the general public.
The region’s most generous arts fans can make an impact by underwriting certain parts of the festival’s program and mission, including events and even VAF positions. But Jackson stressed that any level of involvement makes a positive impact.
“The gifts are valuable, whether they are a $100 gift or a much larger gift,” Jackson said. “We want everyone to be invited to take part.”
A key component of the VAForever “game-changing” strategy is to expand the influence of the Virginia Arts Festival and incorporate more special events outside of the core months of April and May. Jackson said that adding events before and after the spring schedule allows the Virginia Arts Festival to be “a more year-round part of the community.”
As the VAF looks toward a season of big names (Yo-Yo Ma, Emanuel Ax, Alvin Ailey, The Chieftains) and big crowds (30,000 anticipated for the 2016 Virginia International Tattoo), Jackson spoke with excitement about the rise in quantity and quality after two decades of the Virginia Arts Festival.
“I like to tell people that we’ve now reached the point where you can call up your friends in New York and Boston and tell them that if they really want to be around any decent arts and culture, they’re going to have to come to Hampton Roads in the spring,” Jackson said. “I’ve wanted to make that call for 19 years, and now in our 20th, I think I can finally make it.”