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Century Campaign

The Century Campaign • 1908–2008

The Board of Directors of The Hampton Arts Foundation (a not-for-profit corporation) launched an ambitious $4 million campaign in September 2006. As of August 2008, the campaign is approaching the $2.5 million milestone, and it is anticipated that the campaign will come to a successful conclusion during the 2008-09 season.

The Century Campaign Celebrates

  • The Campaign was launched on the occasion of the 100th birthday of Theatre patron and benefactor
    Mrs. Billie D. Gordon. In 2006, Mrs. Gordon fulfilled two of her lifelong dreams — she had always wanted to dance on a professional stage, and she had always wanted to celebrate her 100th birthday. And celebrate she did, with all of us, not only by dancing on the stage on her 100th birthday but by leaving a significant bequest to The American Theatre in her will.
  • The Board of Directors unanimously voted to name the new wing of The American Theatre, the Gordon-Kearney Studio in honor of Mrs. Gordon and her sister Dorothy Kearney and their husbands.
  • The centennial of the historic American Theatre — the only remaining of four original theatres in Hampton
  • The 20th anniversary of the Hampton Arts Commission which was established by City Council in December 1987
  • More than eight decades of service by The Charles H. Taylor Arts Center which was given to the community by Mrs. Grace Taylor Armstrong in 1925 as a living memorial to her father, General Charles H. Taylor
  • The 20th anniversary of our Great Performers Series inaugurated in HU’s Ogden Hall in the
    Spring of 1989

The Purpose of the Campaigndrawing of new wing

The Century Campaign has
four main goals:

  1. The creation of an education wing at The American Theatre. In the Spring of 2006, a unique opportunity arose when the building adjoining The American Theatre became available for purchase. The Hampton Arts Foundation, with the assistance of the City of Hampton, purchased the 5,000 square foot former grocery store/clothing store and has since acquired an additional lot behind the property for additional parking.The Gordon-Kearney Studio at The American Theatre will feature a large studio for teaching dance, acting, fencing, and all other disciplines. It will also encompass a lecture/film screening room which will seat approximately 65 people and it will be used for various master classes and lecture demonstrations.The new wing will also provide us with much needed additional lobby space as well as wing-space and production space for the stage. Several new dressing rooms and offices will also be added.
  2. Expansion of our artist-in-residence program. Once completed, The Gordon-Kearney Studio will afford numerous opportunities for students to explore and learn. A robust educational program has always been one of the hallmarks of Hampton Arts and the new Studio will help cement our role as a catalyst for growth of the arts and arts education.
  3. The creation of a permanent endowment for the Hampton Arts Foundation. Even though the Hampton Arts Foundation now holds assets in excess of $4 million and has no mortgage or debt on its buildings, a permanent source of funds is sorely needed. In order to continue as a leading innovator, an endowment will provide the necessary flexibility to meet changing needs over time. It will enable the Foundation to take advantage of new and exciting opportunities and will allow us to bring the performing arts and the visual arts to ever greater numbers of citizens from throughout
    the region.
  4. Improvements to the galleries and studios at The Charles H. Taylor Arts Center. The Century Campaign will also allow for some ongoing upgrades and additions to the galleries and studio spaces at the Arts Center. Many improvements have already been made over the past couple of years. Plans call for new lighting systems, dehumidifaction system and other upgrades to bring the galleries up to new museum standards.

There are Numerous Ways You Can Help:

In considering a gift to the Hampton Arts Foundation’s Century Campaign, please consult your financial advisor in order to maximize your benefits. There are several ways in which you can support the Campaign:
… Gifts of cash which are 100% deductible for income tax purposes.
… Bequests afford long term tax savings. The two most common types of bequest are Residuary Bequest (wherein you give a percentage of the rest, residuary and remainder of your estate) and Outright Bequest (wherein you give a specific dollar amount or particular asset.)
… Gifts of Stock or other Securities. These are a tax-wise way of making a charitable gift as you can structure the donation so that you avoid all capital gains taxes under this plan.
… Charitable Gift Annuities. A popular way of making a gift now while ensuring an income for you and/or your partner or family.
… Gifts of Retirement Funds, Charitable Remainder Trusts, Gifts of Real Estate, Gifts of Life Insurance and Gifts of Personal Property are some of the other methods of supporting your favorite charity.

Thank you.