Founders Of Brighton Collectibles Offer $1 Million Dollar Challenge Grant To Support Two Music Center Initiatives

By: Oct. 15, 2019
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The Music Center announced today a generous $1 million challenge grant from business leaders and philanthropists Terri and Jerry Kohl to benefit two arts initiatives at the performing arts center. The grant includes a $500,000 challenge gift to both The Music Center's Arts Fund (TMC Arts Fund) and to The Blue Ribbon Children's Festival Endowment. The challenge will be matched dollar-for-dollar to help raise funds to advance transformative arts experiences for both students and all Angelenos. Terri and Jerry Kohl are long-time supporters of The Music Center and numerous arts organizations across Los Angeles. The Kohls are major contributors to The Music Center's recent capital campaign to support the renovation of The Music Center Plaza; Terri Kohl is the current president of The Blue Ribbon, The Music Center's premier women's support organization, and one of its largest donors.

The new TMC Arts Fund was launched in August 2019 to broaden access to the arts for all communities of Los Angeles through public programs, education and dance as well as to support free and/or low-cost arts and cultural programming at The Music Center Plaza. The Kohl's $500,000 challenge grant for the TMC Arts Fund is effective until December 31, 2019.

The Blue Ribbon Children's Festival, which will celebrate its 50th Anniversary in March 2020, is an annual admission-free program that brings thousands of fifth grade students to The Music Center to attend a live professional performance and then gather together to perform a short choreographed dance inspired by the production. The Blue Ribbon Children's Festival Endowment ensures the future of the program to engage young people and enrich their lives through the arts; attendance at the Children's Festival is sometimes a child's first live performing arts experience. The Kohl's $500,000 challenge grant for The Blue Ribbon Children's Festival Endowment is effective until June 30, 2020.

"We think the performing arts are a gift to humanity, and we deeply wish to share that gift the best way we know how-to provide financial support to The Music Center and its many programs that introduce Angelenos, at every age, to the joy of music, dance and theatre," said Terri and Jerry Kohl in a joint statement. "We've been involved with the Children's Festival for many years, and it warms our hearts to see these kids' eyes light up after they've seen something for the first time. We're also very excited about the new TMC Arts Fund with unlimited possibilities to create cultural experiences that appeal to everyone, whether you're wearing sneakers or a suit. We hope our challenge grant will encourage others to join our efforts."

"The Music Center is extremely grateful to Terri and Jerry for initiating this very generous challenge grant and for their continued support of our programming," said Rachel S. Moore, president and CEO, The Music Center. "It's a pleasure to work with such wonderful partners whose passion and dedication will ensure The Music Center continues to expand programming opportunities that deepen the cultural lives of residents of L.A. County, regardless of their background or resources."

Jerry and Terri Kohl founded the Brighton brand, and envisioned a different kind of company that would be built from the heart-focused on treating their customers and employees the way the Kohls want to be treated. The Kohls also support the Los Angeles Philharmonic, LA Opera, Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra, the Colburn School, Pasadena Symphony, MUSE/IQUE, Pasadena Pops, HOLA the Heart of Los Angeles, the Weizmann Institute of Science in Israel, City of Hope, Jewish Vocational Services and The Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. They recently provided the Pasadena School District with more than 2,000 guitars for students and are currently funding a new cardiac unit at Pasadena's Huntington Hospital.

To participate and make a tax-deductible gift, the public can contact Elise Embry at 213-972-3306 or donate at musiccenter.org/support.



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