Weathervane Theatre -- About Us
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MARCHING TOWARD THE FUTURE . . . with your help!
As a not-for-profit Arts organization, the Weathervane depends on tax-deductible charitable gifts to supplement annual earning from operations. Typically, ticket sales and program revenue account for 60-62% of the annual cost to operate the Theatre: without the generosity of our supporting donors, ticket prices could reach $55 -- or more.
Each gift is genuinely appreciated, and put to its best use so that everyone -- friends, neighbors, visitors -- can benefit from the cultural quality of life in the North Country, to which the Weathervane is committed.
Coupled with our need for annual support is the cost of finish completion, maintenance, and the hopeful retiring of the mortgage for the 'new' barn....so called because it opened in August of 2002.
Read on to learn how YOU can add your name to the growing list of friends and benefactors of the Weathervane Theatre - and help us to continue the long tradition and essential cultural heritage of live professional theatre in Whitefield, New Hampshire!
ANNUAL FUND
In and out of Season, the Weathervane's ticket and concession sales, programming, special events and fundraisers contribute 60-62% of the cost of operating the Theatre, with charitable donations and possible grants supplying the balance . . . contrast that with many arts organizations for which the reverse is true: where gifts are relied upon for more than half of annual expenses.
Our 'thermometers' will be updated weekly -- in 2007, we need to raise $95,000 in Annual Fund gifts to meet our budget. And overall, from events, grants, programs and sponsorships, we project a total fundraising need of $165,000. As you can see on the home page, we're halfway there. With our 42nd Season poised to open, and with a fiscal year that closes on September 30, we're in great hopes of achieving our goals - with your help.
What it takes to keep the Theatre a vital North Country presence are donor dollars, long-term giving, and in-kind contributions. Your gift is integral to our ability to continue to offer a high level of professional performance; and to fund an underwrite programs like our Patchwork Players, Windsock summer theatre camp, and the accredited Intern Program; and as mentioned earlier, are most important in helping keep ticket and pass pricing affordable.
With the help of many, many donors, we completed a successful 'Challenge Campaign' in September of 2005 that raised over $100,000 and received a matching gift of $25,000 to retire three years of accumulated shortfall in the Annual Fund . . . . all that beyond the customary annual gifts we receive. Each year, we look to donor generosity and loyal support to provide the crucial needs of our Annual Fund in support of operations.
Together, we have seen and contributed to the growth and longevity of the Weathervane. Please join us - for the first, or 42nd time - by generously offering your Annual support as we approach our forty-second consecutive summer Season in 2007. Monetary gifts to the Weathervane Theatre are considered tax-deductible charitable gifts.
DOWNLOAD ANNUAL GIFT FORM HERE
link to 116KB PDF file
'NEW' BARN replaces 'OLD' -- Our Capital Campaign
Performances moved to our 'new' Barn theatre on Monday, August 6, 2002 with the comedy Not Now, Darling. A capacity house was on hand to applaud not only the night's comedy, but also the facility and efforts of all whose work had culminated in a Weathervane for future generations . . .
Rick Farrar, WVAA and architect of the new Barn,
with co-founder Gibbs Murray in the seldom-seen,
but fondly remembered, original Chase Barn.
In the Seasons that followed the launch of a new Theatre, additional work was completed on the structure, seen and unseen, from a multi-thousand-dollar sprinkler system, to all new seating, to the ongoing work on sound and lights, the addition of carpeting . . . . as the Theatre building continues to inch toward completion.
There remains plenty of need for pledged support to complete what so many have begun: dressing rooms remain precariously housed in the old structure, and outdoor amenities remain rough. Upkeep, increased insurance costs, and new tax demands all added stress to the financial picture upon the erection of the new building - and the mortgage will continue to impact our finances.
While we annually mount an operations-funding campaign (the Annual Fund, see above), we continue to look for new and creative ways to complete the financing of our capital costs for the new building. Aware that ticket prices, programs and fundraisers cannot begin to underwrite both the performance Season and the Barn, we look to outside sources for contributions to complete and maintain the structure. There are still naming opportunities available for major contributors.
Our Directors will make a personal call or visit to answer your questions and discuss long-term planning for capital gifts. You may download an Adobe Acrobat (PDF) version of the giving/pledge form, or write our Board at Weathervane Theatre/Barn Campaign, PO Box 127, Whitefield, NH 03598
DOWNLOAD BARN GIVING/PLEDGE FORM HERE
link to 141KB PDF file
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