Thursday (12/20) on the WIBC 93.1 news radio website (Indianapolis), Ray Steele reports, “The Lilly Endowment says it will give $2 million to the [Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra] to help fund two major initiatives. But it will only donate the money if the orchestra raises the $5 million it must bring in by February 3, 2013 as part of the terms of its contract with the musicians union. ‘We’re right now at about $2.35 million towards that goal. We have every confidence that we can do it. This community has really stepped up’, said ISO spokeswoman Jessica DiSanto. Lilly already gives $1.2 million to the orchestra every year. ‘When the ISO inquired whether Lilly Endowment would be willing to consider this special grant in addition to its regular operating support grant, it seemed compelling,’ said N. Clay Robbins, the Endowment’s president and CEO. ‘We were impressed with the significant contributions of time, talent and resources that so many ISO constituents had made in recent months to keep it performing.’ … If the orchestra reaches the $5 million mark by the February deadline, the new gift from Lilly will be split between two projects—half would go toward the long term goal of finding new donors, while the other half would go toward upgrading the seats at the Hillbert Circle Theater, some of which date to the 1930’s.”
Posted December 21, 2012
