OSF Receives $2 Million from State Lottery Fund

The Oregon Shakespeare Festival, currently celebrating 80 years, received $2 million from the State Lottery Fund to improve the aging infrastructure of OSF's two oldest and largest theatres and its landmark public courtyard. OSF is one of four arts organizations to receive funding, thanks to the efforts of the Cultural Advocacy Coalition. Other recipients are Portland Japanese Garden ($1.5 million), Oregon Public Broadcasting ($600,000) and Aurora Colony Museum ($400,000).

"We are thrilled to receive this grant from the State and see its commitment to the investment in statewide infrastructure in arts and cultural organizations," said OSF Executive Director Cynthia Rider. "We are grateful for the efforts of Representative Peter Buckley and the State legislators, as well as the Cultural Advocacy Coalition for its work to increase public investment in arts, heritage and the humanities, which supports economic development throughout Oregon."

Artistic Director Bill Rauch added, "This generous grant will enable OSF to modernize and improve access in our two oldest theatres, the Angus Bowmer and Allen Elizabethan, as well the courtyard entry area to the two theatres and the Green Show performance space."

The Cultural Advocacy Coalition is a non-partisan advocacy group formed to lobby policy makers in Salem to ensure that all Oregonians have the opportunity to access arts and culture in their communities.

Founded by Angus Bowmer in 1935 and winner of a 1983 Tony Award for outstanding achievement in regional theatre, the Oregon Shakespeare Festival presents an eight-month season of 11 plays that include works by Shakespeare as well as a mix of classics, musicals, and new works. The Festival also draws attendance of more than 400,000 to almost 800 performances every year and employs approximately 575 theatre professionals. In 2008, OSF launched American Revolutions: the United States History Cycle, a 10-year cycle of commissioning new plays that has already resulted in several OSF commissions finding success nationwide.

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