Louisville, Kentucky (June 19, 2013) - The Clifton Center, a historic facility that serves as a gathering place for art, culture and ideas that enrich our community, is announcing the launch of a fundraising campaign aimed at raising $150,000 before the end of 2013. The title of the campaign, Setting the Stage, highlights the fact that this relatively small campaign is intended to address the Center's short-term needs, while setting the stage for major improvements that the Center hopes to undertake in several years. The funds will be used to for facility improvements including new lighting, carpet, and paint in the Reception Hall and Clifton Room, renovations to the Eifler Theater stage and theater infrastructure, and the purchase of equipment and furnishings. The goal is to raise $75,000 by August 1st, and the remaining $75,000 by the end of the year. Currently, more than $39,850 had been committed.

In 2010, the Clifton Center's Board of Directors adopted a new vision for the organization and began pursuing an ambitious new course that would position the Center to become one of the region's leading cultural institutions. Over the past two years, the Center has presented an eclectic series of concerts, films and lectures, as well as established new arts education and outreach programs, and more than 15 events are already booked for the 2013-2014 season. The Setting the Stage campaign will address the much needed improvements to the Eifler Theatre, thus raising the quality of productions and programming the Center can offer and furthering its mission. 

Income earned from rental events such as banquets, weddings and meetings represents 40% of the organization's total income, so the rejuvenation and preservation of this beautiful structure are critical in order to improve the appeal and marketability of its rental venues.

The Kentucky Arts Council, the state arts agency, provides operating support to the Clifton Center with state tax dollars and federal funding from the National Endowment for the Arts.

ABOUT THE CLIFTON CENTER

The Clifton Center, located at 2117 Payne Street, is an historic facility that serves as a gathering place for art, culture and ideas that enrich our community. Housed in a renovated former school building, the Center is home to the studios of artists Martin Rollins and Lucretia Beatty, the Ballet Arts and Yuric-Amari Dance studios, the Louisville Visual Art Association's LVAA @ the Clifton Center art education studio, a UofL off-campus classroom, and the administrative offices of the Colon Cancer Prevention Project.

In addition to the MINI of Louisville Live at the Clifton Center series, the Clifton Center hosts hundreds of events each year in its role as a rental facility including weddings, conferences, business meetings, art shows and receptions. For more information, visit www.cliftoncenter.org or call (502) 896-8480. Find us on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/TheCliftonCenter.

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