Latchis Arts has been quietly raising grant funds for The Campaign for the Heavens and the Earth, our seat replacement and ceiling restoration project. We’re happy to make some noise now and tell you we are 5 for 5! Three new funders join the Thompson Trust and Windham Foundation in their support of this Campaign: $1000 from C&S Wholesale Grocers Community Involvement Program; $17,400 from USDA Rural Development; and a whopping $30,000 from the Vermont Arts Council’s Cultural Facilities Coalition and the State of Vermont. This makes us even more inspired to reach our goal of $550,000!
Latchis Arts Goes Two for Two
Latchis Arts is proud to announce that it has received two grant awards to support the organization’s Campaign for the Heavens and the Earth , a $550,000 campaign to restore the zodiac ceiling (the Heavens) and replace the auditorium seating (the Earth) in the Latchis Theatre in downtown Brattleboro.
The Windham Foundation, famous for Grafton cheddar and dedicated to promoting Vermont’s rural communities, awarded $10,000 to the campaign. “We’re delighted that we could help the Latchis,” noted Bob Allen, President and CEO of the Windham Foundation.
The Thomas Thompson Trust, longtime ally of Brattleboro Arts Initiative and now Latchis Arts, presented a challenge grant in the amount of $50,000, as long as the campaign meets the goal balance of $500,000. William B. Tyler, Trustee of the Thompson Trust said, “The Trustees recognize that this is an ambitious campaign goal and are hopeful that friends and family of the Latchis Theatre will support this important project.”
“We are immensely grateful to Thompson Trust and Windham Foundation, especially at this time in the campaign,” said Gail Nunziata, Latchis Arts managing director. “Support from these well-respected granting organizations goes a long way to attract more participation in the campaign, especially with the Thompson Trust’s challenge. We invite donors large and small to help us meet the goal.”
The Campaign for the Heavens and the Earth was about to get off the ground last year, when Tropical Storm Irene brought Latchis activity to a halt. “We couldn’t in good conscience continue with the campaign while flood recovery was going on in the town,” remarked Nunziata. But as time passed and the new normal emerged, it became time to get back on track. “We are keeping to the pre-flood timetable, so time is of the essence,” she said. “We plan to close the main theatre for construction in January 2013.”
The Latchis Theatre is the region’s largest auditorium for live events, and is the town’s only movie theatre, with four screens. The Campaign for the Heavens and the Earth aims to replace the original seats and restore the ceiling in the main auditorium. The southern Vermont region is well acquainted with the condition of the seats and the ceiling in the main theatre. Going on 75 years of continuous use, the seats are showing their age. The ceiling was victim to a leaky roof in years past and although the roof has been replaced, the damage to ceiling fabric and zodiac designs remains.
The repairs and replacements are being done with historic preservation in mind. “The art deco aisle ends will remain,” Nunziata says. “These pieces are important to the history of the room,” although, she points out, they will be refurbished to their original luster.
Along with restoring the ceiling as we know it, Latchis Arts hopes to return a starry night effect to the heavens, using LED lighting instead of the ancient light bulbs that originally lit the “sky.” Bringing the theatre up to code for ADA accessibility upgrades is another major goal of the project.
With $500,000 to raise in order to meet the Thompson Trust challenge, Latchis Arts is planning outreach and events. For information call 802-254-1109, visit latchisarts.org or write to gail@0je.22e.myftpupload.com.