The Festival of Arts, producer of the legendary Pageant of the Masters, has launched its first ever, limited-opportunity fundraising program to name seats in the iconic Irvine Bowl Amphitheater in Laguna Beach. Patrons, art-lovers, and the community are invited to support the nearly 90-year-old art tradition and help safeguard its future by joining its new exclusive Pageant Legacy Society.
Pageant Legacy Society member’s names will be engraved on plaques and affixed to one of the organization’s famous red seats, which offers donors the opportunity to become a permanent part of Festival of Arts history. Seats may be named to celebrate the memory of a loved one, honor an arts enthusiast or promote an organization.
The seat-naming donation levels are:
- Irvine Bowl Philanthropist – $2,000 for a Loge seat
- Irvine Bowl Benefactor – $1,000 for a Main Tier seat
- Irvine Bowl Patron – $500 for a Director Tier seat
Specific seat location requests will be honored on a first-come, first-served basis. Additionally, each name will be published on the Festival’s website and printed in the annual Souvenir Program. To become a Pageant Legacy Society Member visit www.foapom.com/legacy-society today. Seat naming gifts are tax-deductible.
“We hope this gifting opportunity will not only help us recover from the cancellation of our 2020 season due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but also remind future audiences of those individuals who made a personal commitment to help make the Festival of Arts and Pageant of the Masters possible during what seems to be an impossible time in history,” said David Perry, president of the Festival of Arts.
Perry also acknowledged and thanked former Laguna Beach mayor and professional fundraiser Elizabeth Pearson for originating the Pageant Legacy Society concept. “The Festival of Arts and Pageant of the Masters are a significant part of Laguna Beach’s history. For those of us who call Laguna ‘home’, it is incumbent upon us to help ensure that they continue to thrive in order to support our artists and to preserve the definition of who we are,” said Pearson.
Tony Ciabattoni, a longtime resident who lives in Lagunita, couldn’t agree more. When he heard that the Festival and Pageant needed assistance, without hesitation, he donated $30,000 through his Laguna Legacy Fund. The Fund was established in 2005 with a mission of aiding both Laguna Beach individuals and non-profit organizations in need. He wanted this particular grant to be contributed to three specific areas: naming seats through the Pageant Legacy Society; Pageant tickets for first responders and military; and for art scholarships. “While this grant come from the Laguna Legacy Fund, please know that it is being made in the name of the Community of Lagunita,” said Ciabattoni. He continued, “We’re all so fortunate to live in this truly unique city and I can’t imagine that anything exemplifies it more than the artistic and creative beauty of the Pageant of the Masters. We just can’t risk losing this important piece of our historic identity. I would encourage everyone to make a contribution to the seat naming campaign to keep the Pageant alive.”
All proceeds will help the Festival of Arts and Pageant of the Masters build upon its art legacy and keep the non-profit organization a Laguna Beach staple for years to come. The support will ensure that the Festival continues to make the arts accessible to the community by creating quality summer productions and exhibits; providing career and income opportunities for visual and performing artists; presenting hands-on art workshops, and importantly, awarding scholarships to local students – the artists and art patrons of the future.
To stay up to date on all things Pageant of the Masters and Fine Arts Show visit www.foapom.com or follow @FestivalPageant on social media. To support the Festival of Arts, please visit www.foapom.com/supportnow.