Harvey B. Gantt Center Announces Vibrance Endowment Campaign

Leading Donors Include Jane & Hugh McColl, Bank of America, Duke Energy and Knight Foundation

The Harvey B. Gantt Center for African-American Arts + Culture has publicly announced its Vibrance Endowment Campaign. The institution’s namesake, former Charlotte mayor Harvey Gantt, and Hugh McColl, retired Bank of America CEO, serve as honorary co-chairs for this effort and made the formal announcement at a reception for members and key donors on Wednesday, October 11 at the Harvey B. Gantt Center in uptown Charlotte. Lloyd M. Yates – Duke Energy EVP of customer and delivery operations and president Carolinas Region — and Community Volunteers Josie Shuford and Mike Jones chair the campaign.

With an initial goal of raising $10 million, the silent phase of the major gift campaign was launched in 2016.  The Gantt Center has secured over $6 million with leading gifts and pledges from Jane & Hugh McColl, Bank of America, Duke Energy and the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation.

In 2015, the Gantt Center participated in a national study of cultural institutions conducted by University of Maryland’s DeVos Institute of Arts Management. The results of the Diversity in the Arts study showed that institutions like the Gantt Center – with exhibits and programs that reflect communities of color – lack sufficient endowment assets when compared to traditional, mainstream arts institutions locally.

Endowments are the lifeblood of traditional arts organizations and museums, ensuring longevity to meet the changing needs of audiences and stakeholders.

“The Gantt, and its unique collection of African-American art, are important community assets, providing a space for exploration and conversation,” said Victoria Rogers, vice president for arts at Knight Foundation. “We hope Knight Foundation support will help ensure long-term vibrancy, the opportunity to experiment with new technology and to broaden the center’s reach, helping the Gantt to fulfill its mission, highlighting the important artistic contributions made by African-American and diaspora artists.

“Arts and cultural organizations are part of educating and enriching our community,” said Charles Bowman, Bank of America’s market president for North Carolina and Charlotte. “We’re proud to support the Gantt Center and look forward to expanding beyond the four walls of the center to reach the broader community in all that they do.”

“Our commitment to diversity and inclusion extends beyond our own walls and into the community,” said Yates. “We have a long-standing history of funding impactful programs in the diverse communities we serve. We’re proud to support the Gantt Center and its commitment to preserving cultural diversity for years to come.”

Jane and Hugh McColl became the largest individual contributors to the campaign because they have long believed that the Gantt Center “should be the key place to go [in Charlotte] to have multicultural discussions, so that we can learn to better live together.” McColl said that “it’s an institution so important to our city that it deserves all of us putting our shoulder to the wheel.”

“At a time when the nation is grappling with racial discord and questions of equality, Charlotte is poised to become a national innovator and proud leader in inclusiveness,” said Gantt Center President & CEO David Taylor. “With strong financial footing, we believe an institution like ours – deeply rooted in local heritage and committed to engaging all residents through unique cultural experiences – is the key to elevating understanding and unlocking our community’s potential for growth, opportunity and prosperity.”

About Bank of America

At Bank of America, our focus on Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) factors is critical to fulfilling our purpose of helping make people’s financial lives better. Our commitment to growing our business responsibly is embedded in every aspect of our company. It is demonstrated in the inclusive and supportive workplace we create for our employees, the responsible products and services we offer our customers, and the impact we make around the world in helping local economies thrive. An important part of this work is forming strong partnerships with nonprofits and advocate groups, such as community and environmental organizations, in order to bring together our collective networks and expertise to achieve greater impact. Learn more at www.bankofamerica.com/about, and connect with us on Twitter at @BofA_News.

About Duke Energy

The Duke Energy Foundation provides philanthropic support to address the needs of the communities where its customers live and work. The foundation provides more than $30 million annually in charitable gifts. The foundation’s education focus spans kindergarten to career, particularly science, technology, engineering and math (STEM), early childhood literacy and workforce development. It also supports the environment and community impact initiatives, including arts and culture.

Duke Energy employees and retirees actively contribute to their communities as volunteers and leaders at a wide variety of nonprofit organizations. Duke Energy is committed to building on its legacy of community service. For more information, visit www.duke-energy.com/foundation.

Duke Energy is a Fortune 125 company traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol DUK. More information about the company is available at www.duke-energy.com.

About John S. and James L. Knight Foundation

Knight Foundation is a national foundation with strong local roots. We invest in journalism, in the arts, and in the success of cities where brothers John S. and James L. Knight once published newspapers. Our goal is to foster informed and engaged communities, which we believe are essential for a healthy democracy.

About Harvey B. Gantt Center for African American Arts + Culture

The Harvey B. Gantt Center for African-American Arts + Culture is a multi-disciplinary arts institution located in the heart of Charlotte, North Carolina. Founded in 1974, the Gantt Center’s mission is to present, preserve and celebrate excellence in the art, history and culture of African-Americans and those of African descent through visual and literary arts, dance music, film, educational programs, theatre productions and community outreach. The Gantt Center features fine art exhibitions from around the world and is home to the nationally celebrated John and Vivian Hewitt Collection of African-American Art, which was generously donated by Bank of America, and is accessible online.

Named for Charlotte civic leader and former mayor Harvey Bernard Gantt, the Gantt Center is housed in an iconic, award-winning structure designed by architect Philip Freelon, co-designer of the Smithsonian National Museum for African American History and Culture (NMAAHC).

Contact
Ingrid Travis James
ingrid@ganttcenter.org
(704) 547-3764

Posted on Thursday, October 12, 2017

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