Aimed at inspiring additional community support for a new downtown venue for San Luis Obispo Repertory Theatre (SLO REP), the Harold J. Miossi Charitable Trust will match contributions dollar-for-dollar, now through June 30 up to $500,000.
“This generous matching grant will be a huge help in helping us achieve our total project goal,” said Kevin Harris, SLO REP’s Managing Artistic Director. “To date, we have raised more than $18.9 million of our total project goal of $21.5 million. We need to raise the final $2.6 million by December 2025 so that we can break ground in early 2026.”
Harris continued: “This $500,000 challenge grant is in addition to the Miossi Trust’s previous $1 million contribution to our capital campaign. All of us at SLO REP are beyond grateful for the Miossi Trust’s extraordinary generosity.”
SLO REP’s $21.5 million project will provide for two theatres in a single downtown venue, plus a new headquarters building for youth education programming, rehearsals, set and costume construction and administrative offices. In its current downtown 100-seat theater, SLO REP draws nearly 20,000 patrons annually. In the new venue, SLO REP expects to attract 50,000 annually.
“This will be the largest cultural arts project since the PAC was built 30 years ago on the Cal Poly campus,” Harris said.
The Miossi Charitable Trust was made possible by Harold J. Miossi, a life-long SLO County resident (1922-2006) who was an ardent environmentalist, a believer in the power of education, and a stalwart supporter of cultural organizations. He worked tirelessly to improve the quality of life for all SLO County residents. Through his trust, he continues to enrich this region.
The Miossi name adorns numerous buildings around the county, including the performing arts centers at Cal Poly and Cuesta College – and, soon, the lobby of SLO REP’s new downtown theatre will bear his name.
“Were Harold still alive, he probably would make all these contributions anonymously,” said Howard Carroll, Miossi’s good friend and trustee of the Miossi Trust. “But it’s important that people understand and appreciate that Harold worked hard, saved well and now, two decades later, he is still creating long-lasting impact.
“Harold created the Trust in part to inspire others to give,” Carroll said. “He would be quite happy matching other people’s donations to SLO REP. He absolutely would want the community to support this project because of its long-term ability to enhance our region’s cultural vitality.”
Since its establishment in 2006, the Miossi Trust has donated more than $16.4 million to local nonprofits, virtually all within the City of San Luis Obispo and surrounding areas.
This year, recognizing the long-term potential of SLO REP’s planned venue for live theatre in downtown SLO, the Miossi Trust issued a challenge grant to inspire donors to contribute to SLO REP’s Capital Campaign. From now through June 30, the Miossi Trust will match every dollar given to the Capital Campaign, up to a total of $500,000. This inspirational challenge is in addition to the generous $1 million grant that the Miossi Trust contributed in 2022.