“This weekend, the San Antonio Symphony wraps up a dramatic season of tumult and redemption,” writes Nicholas Frank in Friday’s (6/8) Rivard Report (San Antonio, TX). “Ongoing budgetary woes … caused a group of major donors to pull out of plans to take over leadership of the Symphony on Dec. 27. As a result, the season was cancelled on Jan. 3. Two days later, the announcement was reversed and the Symphony’s season resurrected…. On Jan. 19, the Bexar County Commissioners Court issued a matching grant of $350,000 to help the Symphony raise funds to complete its truncated season…. According to Symphony Board Chair Kathleen Weir Vale, 940 individual donors have given more than $818,000, more than doubling the matching grant…. The County Commissioners officially awarded the matching funds to the Symphony during its June 5 session with a unanimous vote. From the bench, Bexar County Judge Nelson Wolff praised Vale’s dedication and her persistence.… The number of donors and amount of funds raised during the matching grant period, Wolff said, ‘showed a tremendous support out there that heretofore hasn’t really been tapped.… You really kind of “democracized” the giving community by reaching out to many more smaller donors.’ ”
Posted June 14, 2018
