It’s Time To pARTy At Beck Center’s Spotlight On October 18

Beck Center for the Arts will celebrate while raising vital funds with its 2014 Spotlight benefit. This year’s event will take place 7 p.m. – 1 a.m. on Saturday, October 18, at Beck Center, 17801 Detroit Avenue in Lakewood. All proceeds benefit Beck Center’s programming and its student Financial Assistance Program. Tickets are on sale now.

Led by event chairs Kathy Delaney, Mary Kim Elkins, and Sally Stewart, a visually stunning “pARTy” atmosphere is in the works. “Spotlight is a marquee fundraising event for Beck Center and the Spotlight pARTy will be like no other event before,” said Elkins. “A festive atmosphere is being created by premiere event planner Joe Mineo, exquisite food will be prepared by celebrity Chef Chris Hodgson, and music by ‘Best of Cleveland’ DJ Donkis.” Guests will also have the opportunity to bid on exclusive items such as a trip to Wente Vineyards in California, a week’s stay at a historic home in Saint-Cyprien, France, and more.

The evening’s program will also shine a spotlight on Beck Center’s Dance Education program. Guests will enjoy a special performance by former students who are continuing their dance studies at prestigious schools. Dancers Taylor Gerrasch, currently studying at Joffrey Ballet, Julia Horner of Fordham University/Alvin Ailey Extension, Abby Schneider, a dance major at Kent State University, and Annie Gagen of Point Park University, will perform with current Beck Center student Ali Cassidy, and faculty members Lou Hadaway and Anna Roberts.

Last year’s event netted over $100,000 for arts education, performances, exhibits and outreach, including an unprecedented amount of scholarships for students with financial need. “Thanks to our generous supporters, we were able to double our Financial Assistance Program for arts education students,” commented Beck Center President & CEO Lucinda Einhouse. “The program supported 180 students, who otherwise would not have had access to an arts experience, to participate in classes and lessons throughout the past year. We hope to accomplish even more this year.”

The Spotlight pARTy will include a special presentation recognizing the civic leadership of PNC and Paul Clark, Regional President. PNC’s Grow Up Great program is a leader in early childhood arts education philanthropy, helping organizations like Beck Center for the Arts provide educational opportunities for children ages birth to five. Nationally, the program has provided $73 million in grants and more than 410,000 volunteer hours, impacting approximately two million children since 2004. “PNC has been a great philanthropic partner to Beck Center and supporter of early childhood arts education programming. We are proud of what they do for the arts community,” remarked Einhouse.

Tickets are $200 ($130 tax deductible) and are on sale through Beck Center’s Customer Service at 216.521.2540 x10 or online at beckcenter.org. Contact Lauren Brocone at x19 for information regarding sponsorship levels which start at $1,600 ($960 tax deductible).

Spotlight Sponsors include Cox Communications and PNC at the Gold Level; Silver Sponsors Skylight Financial, Chann & Ed Spellman, First Federal Lakewood; and Jill & Paul Clark, Kathy Delaney, Deloitte, Mary Kim Elkins & David Greenspan, Nordson Corporation, Sally & Terry Stewart, Spangenberg Shibley & Liber LLP, Thompson Hine, Turner Construction, Weber Murphy Fox/Doug Hoffman and  Wente Winery.

Beck Center for the Arts is a not-for-profit 501(c)3 organization that offers professional theater productions on two stages, arts education programming in dance, music, theater, visual arts, early childhood, and creative arts therapies for special needs students, outreach education programming, and gallery exhibits featuring local, regional, and international artists.

Pat Miller

Graphic Design & Marketing Coordinator - Beck Center for the Arts

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Volume 10, Issue 21, Posted 2:02 PM, 10.14.2014