Because of their interest in providing entertainment and art programming, Wake Forest Arts, a nonprofit, and the town’s Renaissance Centre for the Arts are setting up an official relationships. Tuesday night they asked the town board to approve the memorandum of understanding.
There were questions about how funding will be handled and other details, but it appeared clear the commissioners will vote approval at their business meeting Aug. 16.
“The center is interested in having a foundation to receive grants and other contributions,” Wake Forest Arts President Mary Petretich said. Wake Forest Arts as a 501(c)3 is able to do that, using a separate checking account and other safeguards to keep the center’s funds separate.
Petretich explained that the arts group now is just a board with a donor base and volunteers for its various activities. She also said that without the Renaissance Centre Wake Forest Arts is severely limited in its programming because of the lack of other facilities. Wake Forest Arts, with other organizations, provides Six Sundays in Spring, Music at Midday in Miller Park, Forest Moon Theater, and concerts throughout the year.
Renaissance Centre Director Cathy Gouge told the commissioners during Tuesday night’s work session that the center has received a $5,000 grant from the United Arts Council of Raleigh and Wake County for its Arts for All series. The money will be used to provide free arts programming and events for the community and schools.
Gouge is also applying for money through the Wake County Major Facilities Capital Projects Funding for $100,000 or more “to help renovate, repair and enhance the Renaissance Centre’s current facilities to better reflect the Centre’s goal of being the premier arts and conference center in Northern Wake County.”
The money for this grant comes from the county-wide room occupancy and prepared food and beverage tax that began in 1991. The only grant from the tax that came to Wake Forest was to help build the ball fields behind The Factory.
