Bart Simpson voice, Kettering native gives arts center $100K
Emmy Award-winning voice actor and Kettering native Nancy Cartwright is donating $100,000 to Rosewood Arts Center, the city announced Tuesday.
The 66-year-old Fairmont West High School graduate, who is also an artist, is best known as the longtime voice of Bart Simpson on the animated television series The Simpsons.
The donation is part of the Rosewood Reinvention and Renovation campaign, according to Kettering officials.
The Kettering Parks, Recreation and Cultural Arts Department said Cartwright also will have her name permanently associated with Rosewood at “The Nancy Cartwright Painting and Drawing Studio.”
“I am thrilled and deeply honored to contribute to this incredible art facility,” Cartwright said in the announcement. “I truly believe that the expansion and survival of our culture depend on our unwavering support for both art and artists. The Rosewood Arts Center stands as a beacon for bringing hope and inspiring greatness in others.”
City officials said the dedicated studio space “not only signifies Cartwright’s commitment to nurturing artistic expression in her hometown, but also serves as a testament to her enduring legacy within the community’s vibrant cultural landscape.”
Cartwright’s “most recognized talent as an actor is beloved by countless people,” Kettering Mayor Peggy Lehner said in a released statement. “But her passion for drawing and painting will now be an inspiration for Kettering’s up-and-coming artists.”
Last year Kettering completed a $6.4 million renovation of Rosewood with more than $2 million in outside funding.
It includes a 150-seat theater that is ADA accessible, and features new sound and lighting systems, Kettering parks and recreation Director Mary Beth O’Dell has said.
Upgrades also included a new main entrance, parking lot and lobby space, youth arts studio, kiln room, electrical and plumbing work, and a community mural on the building’s exterior.
The renovation also involved studios for ceramic, glass, metals, and dance, plus a public meeting room and a multi-use classroom, Kettering records show.
Before the renovation, no significant structural or interior changes had occurred at the site since 1985, a year after it closed due to Kettering City Schools consolidating buildings, officials have said.
I am thrilled and deeply honored to contribute to this incredible art facility.’
Nancy Cartwright