Marcy Everett, a SRAC volunteer and donor since 1984, understands that it takes a generous community to keep the arts scene alive. As a former manager of the biennial fund raiser called Christmas in the Sky, she knows the cycle of exhibits, grants and funding managed by Shreveport Regional Arts Council.
Thus when she approached her 75th birthday and thought about what she'd like to have, she decided on a major donation to SRAC. Her husband, oilman Jack Everett, thought about it for a while, she reports. Then he agreed on the dramatic gift. He wrote a check to SRAC for $250,000. He saw it as something that might shake up a somnolent city.
The Haynesville Shale has enhanced the money flow to the Everett family, said Everett, and was a factor in their generous gift.
Atchison noted that it is the largest ever single gift to SRAC. She said the money would allow Artspace to put on exhibits for the next 5 years. The mainspace at Artspace has been named the Marcy and Jack Everett mainspace.
"They've given us the gift of stability and innovation," noted Atchison.
Meanwhile, the Everetts have led the way for what could be an upswell of donations to worthy non-profit organizations.
A day prior to the Everett donation photographer-author-artist Neil Johnson wrote a piece for the Times encouraging a new wave of giving based on the riches to be had in the Haynesville Shale natural gas discoveries. Little did he know that community leaders were already on the move.
Let it not stop here, eh?
3 comments:
This is truly awesome for the whole of SB Land! Happy, happy birthday to Marcy and thank you for this great blessing from the Everetts.
From the view point of an artist what would also be exciting would be to have local collectors working energetically with local artists. My August 7 post at Red River Blog Jam invited folks to spend their shale dollars with local artists.
Artists capture culture, create the myths of a land and document a time but if they are struggling with basics like keeping lights on it's tough to purchase $6 tubes of paint. Shreveport Attorney Amy Greenwald was an amazing patron of the late Pratt Turner (see RRBJ April 11 post).
Your blog proves (daily) there are many artists in the area making great art in all disciplines in SB Land.
Shale recipients please bring your money out to invest with the creatives. It's time to show south Louisiana what a rich culture we have in Louisiana's Other Side.
P.S. Thanks for the heads up on Neil Johnson's piece. I'm zipping over there to read it.
This is fabulous! It leaves me speechless and a little inspired. Also makes me feel proud of my community!
I love this!
And it's 100% tax deductible. Not that it would play any substantial part in making a charitable donation decision, mind you. I mean, who needs a tax break these days anyway?
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