Endowment Funds

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The Virginia P. Vieser Arts Education Fund and Dr. Rosemary Omniewski Arts Infusion Education Fund both provide support for Arts in Lifelong Learning. photo credit: Erie Arts & Culture
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The Erie Arts Endowment provides funding to local arts organizations so that the community continues to benefit from experiences like the annual Blues and Jazz Festival. photo credit: Blues and Jazz Festival

Administered by The Arts Council of Erie, a 501(c)3 charitable organization established in 1960 and today branded as Erie Arts & Culture, the Erie Arts Endowment provides a sounds framework for investing in the advancement of arts and culture. The Erie Arts Endowment is an important tool strengthening the vibrancy and vitality of the Erie Region.

A vibrant region is reflected in our fairs and festivals, through a dancer's first performance and in the laughter of a child discovering through play. A vibrant region is one in which arts and cultural activities are valued not just in beautiful museums and performance venues, but also in our neighborhoods, our classrooms, our homes and in the hearts of our people.

A gift to the Erie Arts Endowment is an investment that deepens the roots of our region, enlivens neighborhoods, fuels creativity and learning, and bridges cultural divides. It is an investment that tells the story of our heritage. It paints a picture of who we are today as a community, and our aspirations for an even more vibrant future.

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beyers fund
The Clarence E. Beyers Music Performance Fund partially supports Music at Noon, the Logan Series at Penn State Erie, The Behrend College. The series brings chamber music concert experiences to the Erie community. photo credit: Music at Noon, the Logan Series
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A free orchestral performance at the First Presbyterian Church of the Covenant funded by the Bruce Morton Wright Chamber Series Fund. photo credit: Erie Philharmonic
Fund McCain

Lydia McCain Unrestricted Fund

The McCain Unrestricted Fund was the first unrestricted contribution to the Erie Arts Endowment. Your gift to this fund is significant as it supports Erie Arts & Culture Project Grants. This competitive grant program allows for timely and innovative cultural projects to be funded.

Fund Beyers

The Clarence E. Beyers Music Performance Fund

This fund was created in memory of Clarence E. Beyers, who personally funded several different art organizations over his lifetime. It was his wish that the Erie Arts Endowment carry on his legacy and provide funding for projects involving music performances.

Dr. Rosemary Omniewski Arts Infusion Education Fund

The family of Dr. Rosemary Omniewski created this fund in 2018. Dr. Omniewski was a 22-year member of the Early Childhood and Reading Department of Edinboro University of Pennsylvania. She was involved in securing more than $5 million dollars in funding from the federal government for arts in education projects, and her work inspired the Arts Infusion Certificate program at Edinboro University. The fund supports artist residencies in Crawford, Erie, and Warren counties, as well as scholarships for artists and educators pursuing the Arts Infusion Certificate.

Arts infusion is a teaching method in which the arts are incorporated into academic instruction and utilized to teach core curriculum subjects. This means bringing music, painting, dancing, and storytelling into the classroom curriculum as a tool for education.

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Fund Wright

The Bruce Morton Wright Chamber Series Fund

Bruce Morton Wright was the longtime Conductor of the Erie Chamber Orchestra.  The fund is used to support free performances in community-based venues featuring small “Chamber” ensembles. These exclusive experiences allow community members from all socioeconomic backgrounds to experience classical music.

Fund Vieser

The Virginia P. Vieser Arts Education Fund

Created in memory of Virginia P. Vieser in 1994, the fund began with a gift from her estate. It continues to grow through gifts from individuals who, like Virginia, value arts in education programs.

Fund McBrier

McBrier Family Memorial Fund

Created in memory of James R. McBrier in 1998, the McBrier Fund is a donor advised fund of the Erie Arts Endowment. This type of fund offers you the flexibility to direct funding decisions on an annual basis towards a specific organization, art form, or as an unrestricted gift.

In 2018, the McBrier family selected the Erie Junior Philharmonic to receive funding.

Fund Endowment

Erie Arts Endowment

The Erie Arts Endowment provides funding to local arts organizations so that the community continues to benefit from experiences like Goodell Gardens and Homestead’s Homegrown Harvest Festival and the eclectic atmosphere of the annual Blues and Jazz Festival. A gift to the Erie Arts Endowment provides support for regional artists in music, dance, theater and visual arts activities. Your donation keeps arts and culture in Erie alive and inspired.

Arts Organization Sub-Funds

As a part of the Erie Arts Endowment,  agency sub-funds exist to benefit a number of Erie Arts & Culture’s lead Partners. A gift to these funds helps ensure our Partners can continue to provide stellar cultural experiences to our surrounding community.

Arts Organization Sub-Funds:

partner art
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partner childrens
partner phil
partner play

Erie Arts & Culture

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