UPAF raises record funds in ’16

Plans begin for next round, its 50th year

The United Performing Arts Fund, an umbrella organization that supports performing arts groups, closed a record-setting fundraising year Tuesday night at the organization’s annual meeting.

The 2016 campaign raised more than $12 million, a record, with the contributions of more than 22,000 donors.

The 2016 total surpassed the funds raised in 2015 by about $40,000.

It’s the fourth consecutive year of recordbreaking campaigns. Funds raised over the last five years have increased nearly 30%.

More than half a million dollars — $576,054 — in grants has been distributed to 13 groups through the Arts Education Grant Program in 2016. Funding given through the grant program increased $83,554 from 2015.

UPAF is entering its 50th year of operation in 2017 and will kick off its anniversary campaign March 6. The anniversary logo was unveiled at the meeting Tuesday with the tagline “setting the stage since 1967.”

The campaign will be led by co-chairs Betsy Brenner, former publisher of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Linda Gorens-Levey, a partner with General Capital Group, and Alex Kramer, who leads the Milwaukee market for the Private Client Reserve of U.S. Bank.

UPAF PR and social media coordinator Katie Joachim said the campaign will emphasize why the performing arts matter and the difference the organization had made during the last 50 years.

The campaign fundraising goal will be announced March 6.

Since it began in 1967, UPAF has raised more than $300 million for the performing arts.

At its inception, UPAF was created to support performing arts groups in the greater Milwaukee area.

Since then, it has expanded to other arts-related needs, including funding arts in education. The organization’s newest initiative, UPAF connect, makes the performing arts more accessible to underserved populations by connecting its member groups with area nonprofits.

First Stage, Wisconsin’s largest children’s theater, received two awards Tuesday. It won both the Good Stewards and Arts Education awards.

Julia Taylor, president of the Greater Milwaukee Committee, received the UPAF Notable Women Award. The Next Generation UPAF award went to Jennifer Mattes, the director of corporate communication for Johnson Controls. Fundraiser of the Year went to Doris Heiser.