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At the same time it’s spending an extra two weeks on its annual fund drive, the Arts & Science Council is pushing to complete the $83 million cultural-facilities campaign it launched in 2006.
Nearly $62 million in gifts and pledges has come in for the cultural-facilities drive, the ASC announced Thursday. The ASC hopes to close the remaining $21 million gap in time to end the campaign April 21.
The campaign is raising money that largely will go into endowments benefiting new cultural facilities on South Tryon Street – the Bechtler Museum of Modern Art, Gantt Center for African-American Arts + Culture, Knight Theater and Mint Museum of Art – as well as Discovery Place.
The drive was originally scheduled to end in summer 2009. But as the recession impeded fundraising, the ASC left it open-ended.
Requests totaling $26 million are in front of potential donors, president Scott Provancher said. Some of the discussions have been very complicated, he added, as the prospective givers weigh “how to be involved.”
Nevertheless, “the fact that we’re having conversations that are still positive and moving forward is a testament to the community,” Provancher said.
On Wednesday, the ASC extended its annual fund drive, originally scheduled to end Friday, until March 26. As of Wednesday, the ASC had raised $6,350,000 toward its goal of $7.3 million.
Provancher and other ASC leaders hosted a breakfast for political leaders Thursday at the Bechtler Museum. The ASC gave an overview of a survey it took of 23 of the main groups it supports. The findings included:
Staffs have been cut by 9 percent since Jan. 1, 2009.
Federal stimulus money has restored five jobs.
Eleven groups have seen declines in tickets sales and other revenue. Sales have been flat for three, and nine have enjoyed increases.
When it comes to contributions, 13 groups have suffered drops, four groups have been flat, and six have had increases.
