PNCA Gala Raises Record Amount for Scholarships
June 02, 2013
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 3, 2013
Contact: Lisa Radon, Communications Specialist
lradon@pnca.edu 971-255-5528
Becca Biggs, Director of Communications
bbiggs@pnca.edu 503-821-8892
PNCA Gala Raises Record Amount for Scholarships Inaugural Joan Shipley Civic Imagination Award presented to Maribeth Collins Family
PORTLAND, OR – June 3, 2013 – On Saturday, June 1, Pacific Northwest College of Art (PNCA) held its 2013 Gala at Vigor Industrial’s shipyard on Swan Island. The sold- out event, with a record attendance of more than 500 people, raised more than $511,450, surpassing its $500,000 goal. Together with the PNCA Benefit Art Auction, the College raised more than $580,450 through special events this year to benefit its students, faculty, and programs. It was an exuberant coming together of PNCA’s community of supporters at an exciting time for the College, as it is poised to expand its campus to Portland’s North Park Blocks. On Swan Island, attendees celebrated surrounded by the Graduate Thesis Exhibition for two of PNCA’s five graduate programs in the Hallie Ford School of Graduate Studies, the MFA in Visual Studies and MFA in Collaborative Design. Along with the support that was raised for the College’s Annual Fund, President Tom Manley announced a major gift in support of campus expansion. President Manley announced a $1 million gift from Dorothy Lemelson, part of PNCA’s $15 million philanthropic campaign, CREATIVITY WORKS HERE, in support of the College’s strategic move to renovate the historic former federal post office at 511 NW Broadway and anchor the PNCA campus on Portland’s North Park Blocks. Board chair Ann Edlen announced that the $15 million effort, launched in 2012 with a gift from alumna Arlene Schnitzer to name the future Arlene and Harold Schnitzer Center for Art and Design, has surpassed the $10 million mark.
Lemelson, chair of The Lemelson Foundation, is a longtime supporter of PNCA through the signature Dorothy Lemelson Scholars program and serves as Honorary Co-Chair of the PNCA Creativity Works Here campaign along with Arlene Schnitzer. Her gift will create the Dorothy Lemelson Innovation Studio, a signature public space devoted to experiential student learning opportunities and collaborative community programming. The College also announced recent campaign gifts including $100,000 from the Ann and Bill Swindells Charitable Trust, $400,000 from the Meyer Memorial Trust, and $500,000 from the William G. Gilmore Foundation. In addition, Board chair Ann Edlen announced a $200,000 challenge grant through the Ann Pownall Swindells Fund of the Oregon Community Foundation, made possible through Anne Crumpacker and her family. Crumpacker is an alumna of PNCA’s MFA in Applied Craft and Design program in collaboration with OCAC, a member of the Campaign Leadership Cabinet, and a practicing artist.
The second major announcement was that of the inaugural Joan Shipley Civic Imagination Award in recognition of inspiring civic leaders who have demonstrated significant, lifelong achievement in imagining, creating, and promoting a vibrant cultural and educational community in Portland and throughout Oregon. The award, presented to the Maribeth Collins Family by PNCA president Tom Manley and John Shipley, honors the late Joan Shipley, whose visionary leadership made an indelible impact on Portland. Like Joan Shipley, Maribeth Collins and her entire family embody philanthropy as a value and have dedicated themselves to promoting fairness, opportunity, education, and creativity as the heart of a strong and vibrant community. Truman Collins, Jr. accepted the award for the family. “At a time when our capital campaign is enjoying real momentum, it was a great night to celebrate the kind of stalwart support that women like Dolly Lemelson, Maribeth Collins, and Joan Shipley have provided the College and the greater Portland community for so many years,” said Tom Manley, president of PNCA. “Thanks to them and the hundreds of supporters who enjoyed the Gala with us, we celebrated both how far PNCA has come in 104 years and our vision for its dynamic future.”
A broad range of community leaders came forward with support for the College. Visionary partner, Vigor Industrial set the stage by offering space at its Swan Island shipyard. “We had a terrific committee this year headed up by honorary chairs Brenda Smola, Frank Foti, and Susan Hammer, and Lee Kelly ’59,” said PNCA Board Chair Ann Edlen. “It’s inspiring to see the broad support of the community in support of what we know to be the transformative power of creativity.” Other members of the 2013 Gala Committee include Gwen and Tom Burns, Satbir Couture, PNCA Board of Governors Chair Ann Edlen and Mark Edlen, Holly Freres and David Horning, Randy Higgins, Sally Ann Hopper, Janet Hull, Suzanne Johnson, Elizabeth Leach, Al Solheim, Michelle Weisenbach, and Jane Wood. Visionary Circle supporters include Ann and Mark Edlen, Dorothy Lemelson, Al Solheim and AWS Real Estate, and Brenda Smola and Frank Foti.
President’s Circle supporters include Rick Caskey and Sue Horn-Caskey and the Maybelle Clark Macdonald Fund. Studio Circle supporters include Anthony and Marti Belluschi, Susan Hammer and Lee Kelly '59, Casey Mills and Carmen Calzacorta, Michael Curry Design, LAIKA, Miller Nash, Project ^, Harold & Arlene Schnitzer CARE Foundation, Wieden+Kennedy, and Howard S. Wright. In addition, more than two dozen corporations and individuals are supporting the event through the Collector’s Circle. With renowned alumnus Michael Curry as Artistic Director, the evening featured dynamic entertainment by Alan Jones Academy of Music and Legacy Parkour and Freerunning with choreography by Parkour 91.
PNCA Board member Jamey Hampton served as master of ceremonies with Jonathan Holiday leading the Special Appeal. More than 500 guests enjoyed a beautiful, seasonal meal by Larry Grimes of Art of Catering, with beverages supplied by Bridgeport Brewing Company, Dave Holt and Dalla Terra, and New Deal Distillery.
ABOUT PACIFIC NORTHWEST COLLEGE OF ART
As Oregon’s flagship college of art and design since 1909, Pacific Northwest College of Art has helped shape Oregon’s visual arts landscape for more than a century. PNCA students study with award-winning faculty in small classes. In the last seven years, PNCA has doubled both the student body and full-time faculty, quadrupled its endowment, and added innovative undergraduate and graduate programs. PNCA is now embarking on its boldest venture yet by establishing the Arlene and Harold Schnitzer Center for Art and Design as an anchor for the College’s vision of a new campus home on Portland’s North Park Blocks. Focusing on the transformative power of creativity, the capital campaign, Creativity Works Here, was launched in June 2012 with a lead gift from The Harold & Arlene Schnitzer CARE Foundation of $5 million. PNCA’s new home will be a bustling hub for creativity and entrepreneurship, reflecting the influential role of art and design in our 21st century economy – both in Portland and beyond.
For more information, visit pnca.edu.