Don't forget Clayton Center donor ops as gifts for the holidays

August 26, 2009
Contact: Karen B. Eldridge, Director of News and Public Information
865.981.8207; karen.eldridge@maryvillecollege.edu

For shoppers who struggle to buy holiday gifts for loved ones who seem to have everything, Robert Hutchens has some ideas.

“Named spaces.”

Hutchens, executive director of the Clayton Center for the Arts, which is currently under construction on the Maryville College campus, would like people to consider a gift to the Center that would give loved ones' names a permanent place in history — on a brick paver, a theatre seat or a space named in their honor.

“Buying a paver or a seat allows people literally to become part of the building. It's symbolic of the connection we hope people are going to feel to the Clayton Center for the Arts,” he said.

“These gifts express so many things. They are lasting testaments to the high regard the giver holds for the honoree, but they also say that both persons are committed to art and the community of artists and art lovers,” Hutchens continued.

While spaces in and around the Clayton Center are still available for naming (including the outdoor plaza, the premier special events room and several dressing rooms and practice rooms), naming opportunities for smaller features of the facility have been decided, according to Robert Hutchens.

Seats in the main performance hall may be named for anyone the donor chooses. Costs are $2,000 per seat.

Donors may also “purchase” pavers that will be installed in the outdoor plaza. With two lines of text and 14 letters/spaces per line, pavers may be named for anyone the donor chooses. Pavers are $1,000 each but if named for a student, child or grandchild under the age of 18, the discounted price is $250 each. (Children's pavers will be laid in a special section in the plaza.)

Donors who take advantage of these special naming opportunities will be given a holiday certificate to present to each honoree.

VIP benefactor benefits offered

Opportunities to donate toward VIP benefactor benefits have also been announced. Benefits include preferred seating tickets, parking and invitations to special VIP events.

“The VIP benefits are an ongoing way of saying ‘thank you' to the people for their financial support. A perk for all our VIPs is first choice for preferred seating before tickets go on sale to the general public. And all VIPs are named on donor plaques,” Hutchens explained.

Corporations and businesses are encouraged to join the campaign for the Clayton Center for the Arts, as well, and Hutchens pointed out that opportunities also exist for them to sponsor entertainment and programming in the facility.

“Corporate sponsorships are primarily gifts that underwrite a particular performance so that we can keep ticket prices as low as possible,” he said. “Such sponsorships also allow us to bring in the most exciting artists around. They are true gifts to the community.”

Located on the campus of Maryville College and constructed through a partnership of the College, the cities of Maryville and Alcoa, and state and federal governments, the Clayton Center for the Arts will celebrate the art and culture of the Appalachian region by serving as a venue for local musicians, performers and artists.

Its design will also accommodate plays and musicals, concerts by touring musicians and orchestras, traveling art exhibits, film series, children's plays and presentations by nationally recognized speakers.

The grand opening of the Clayton Center for the Arts is scheduled for Spring 2010.

For giving opportunity details and donor pledge forms, visit www.claytonartscenter.com/giving.html or contact Jackson-Ludlow at 865.273.8884 or holly.ludlow@maryvillecollege.edu.

For more information about corporate sponsorship of the Clayton Center, contact Hutchens at 865.981.8264 or robert.hutchens@claytonartscenter.com.

Maryville College is ideally situated in Maryville, Tenn., between the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and Knoxville, the state's third largest city. Founded in 1819, it is the 12th oldest institution of higher learning in the South and maintains an affiliation with the Presbyterian Church (USA). Known for its academic rigor and its focus on the liberal arts, Maryville is where students come to stretch their minds, stretch themselves and learn how to make a difference in the world. Total enrollment for the fall 2009 semester is 1,103.