Local nonprofit performing arts groups who call the Performing Arts Center “home” will now have greater access to the venue through a new grants program launched by the Foundation for the Performing Arts Center. The Clifton Swanson PAC Community Access Fund will provide competitive grants for direct financial support for PAC-related performance expenses. The new fund, named to honor local symphony musician and PAC principal supporter Clifton Swanson, was announced at a kick-off benefit brunch held in the lobby of the Christopher Cohan Center on Sunday. Swanson was also presented with a permanent plaque to be placed in Harman Hall honoring his lifetime and continuous commitment to the musical and performing arts in San Luis Obispo.
With the Encore Endowment Campaign behind it, the Foundation is now able to fulfill its subsequent goal of expanding community access to the PAC through its own grant program.
“We are ambassadors to the community performing arts groups, and we want to build the bridges for them to be able to continue to use the PAC for the purpose it was created,” Foundation Board Member and Committee Chair of the grants program, Libbie Agran said. “This fund helps us do that more than ever before.”
In collaboration with the City of San Luis Obispo and Cal Poly, the Foundation, through its donors, currently provides a 75 percent discount on the PAC rental fee to community performance groups; however technical fees, which cover theater lighting, rigging, and any performance-specific technical assets provided by the PAC, are additional and can range anywhere from a few thousand dollars to tens of thousands. The new fund is already at $26,000 and growing and will provide additional subsidies to offset these costs through a grant application process.
Naming the fund after Swanson is a befitting honor for someone who has dedicated so much of his life to the establishment and ongoing enrichment of the PAC as a community asset. His involvement with the Center, which he refers to as “his life’s greatest achievement,” began in 1979 when he was an original member of the committee that set out to build a grand performing arts center for the community of San Luis Obispo. He was highly involved with selecting the PAC’s architect, and most notably is responsible for ensuring the renowned acoustic fidelity of the Hall, tirelessly advocating for proper sound handling so that generations to come could enjoy the best sound experience possible. He and his wife, Jane, continue to be ardent supporters of the Foundation, where he served 9 years on the board in various roles including two-terms as President.
The Clifton Swanson PAC Community Access Fund is currently accepting applications from nonprofit arts groups that have secured dates to perform at the PAC during the 2016-2017 season. Applications must be filed by April 1 and recipients will be announced in May. To apply, please visit http://fpacslo.org or email [email protected] for more information.
About the Foundation for the Performing Arts Center
The Foundation provides and promotes an extraordinary and accessible center for the California Polytechnic State University and the City of San Luis Obispo. For more information on the Foundation, its mission, values and programs, please visit: http://fpacslo.org