PHILADELPHIA, PA.- Moore College of Art & Design announced the successful completion of its $30 million Capital Improvement Campaign.
The end of the first-ever capital campaign coincides with the conclusion of a yearlong celebration of the College’s 160th anniversary as the first and only women’s visual arts college in the nation.
"We’re grateful for the generosity of our Board members, alumnae, parents, friends, foundations and public and private entities,” Moore President Happy Fernandez said. “With their impressive support, we can move forward knowing that our institution is strongly positioned to offer students the best resources and facilities in which prepare for careers in art and design.”
More than 1,200 donors - led by Moore’s Board and alumnae – contributed to the Capital Campaign through a variety of fund-raising initiatives, including endowed scholarships and the 160th Anniversary Celebration Excellence in the Arts: 160 Years and Beyond, which ran through the 2008-9 academic year.
Major private sector gifts received for the capital campaign included $1 million from The Annenberg Foundation for Young Artists Workshop scholarships and $1 million from alumna Jane Walentas, ‘66, for a four-year scholarship with a $4,000 international travel fellowship for a bachelor of fine arts student.
The College also received $8 million in grants from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania ’s Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program and $125,000 from the City of Philadelphia ’s Citywide Capital Grants Fund promoting quality cultural programming.
To successfully reach its campaign goal, the College successfully matched a $400,000 grant from The Kresge Foundation, a prestigious private foundation that awards grants on a challenge basis for completion of construction or renovation projects.
“The Kresge Challenge Grant is an endorsement of Moore’s mission and vision to be a premier center for visual arts education and recognized the importance of the capital campaign to complete the transformation of Moore’s campus,” said Linda Porch, Director of Development.
Moore launched its first-ever Capital Campaign in 1998 with a leadership gift that helped to purchase and renovate 1916 Race Street – now known as Wilson Hall, named in honor of the Board Chair Penelope P. Wilson. Wilson Hall added 50,000 square feet of light-filled studio and exhibition space, updated classrooms and meetings spaces. Early projects also included the Locks Career Center for Women in the Arts, Fox Commons and McCulloch Media Room.
The $30 million campaign included about $2 million invested in new technology and labs to better meet the needs of 21st century art and design students, including a wireless campus, new computers and large-format printers in the Penny and Bob Fox Center for Digital Arts, Design and Print Media.
Moore completed all the major renovations and upgrades with the investment of $1.6 million in capital projects especially focused on the Galleries, including new roofs and HVAC systems. Other projects included new air conditioning, ventilation systems and energy efficient windows in Sarah Peter Hall.
Students will continue to benefit from the capital campaign through an increased endowment for scholarships, fellowships and prizes, with more than $3 million raised for that purpose.
As the College concludes its 160th Anniversary, Moore is proud to continue its mission to educate women for careers in the visual arts. Founded by Sarah Worthington Peter in 1848, the College continues to thrive on the promise of empowering women to achieve financial independence by providing a quality, career-focused education.
