Wells Fargo Center breaks box-office, donation records

Wells Fargo Center for the Arts north of Santa Rosa said it broke its records for box-office receipts and donations for the recently ended fiscal year.

The performing arts and events center (wellsfargocenterarts.org), located at 50 Mark West Springs Rd., said ticket sales and performance-related income grew 18 percent for the year ended June 30, exceeding $6 million for the first time. In addition to headliner performances by major music, comedy, stage and literary acts, the nonprofit center formed performance partnerships over those 12 months with Transcendence Theatre Company and North Bay Stage Company.

“The record-­breaking 2014-­15 fiscal year is a product of tremendous support for Wells Fargo Center for the Arts in the community, as well as the hard work of the Board, Staff, and Volunteers,” said President and CEO Rick Nowlin in a statement. “And we take particular pride in the expansion of our offerings, both onsite and offsite, increasing access to the arts for more and more people in our community.”

Rental and lease income rose by more than one-third - 36 percent - as the facility was used more. A major newcomer is Anova Center for Education (anovaeducation.org), which in June announced the relocation and expansion of its local campus to the center this month after signing a 10-year lease. Anova opened Aug. 19 in 22,780 square feet once home to Sonoma Country Day School and Sonoma Academy.

Anova founders Andrew Bailey and Mary Beth Ludwig recently won the 2015 American Red Cross Real Heroes Award in Education. They started Anova in Santa Rosa in 2000 to serve the growing population of students with autism spectrum disorders. The organization now operates two additional school campuses in San Rafael and Concord, and provides behavioral and therapy services throughout 15 counties in California. Anova serves more than 500 children daily.

Other new education programs beyond the walls of Wells Fargo Center were One City Arts and first-ever mariachi camp.

Donations from individuals and foundations grew by 12 percent to $2.7 million, including $400,000 from the Art of Dessert event, a high watermark in single-event giving for the center. A new attraction for the center is a sculpture garden, intended to showcase works from regional artists.

Total giving to the center for fiscal 2015 was $2.7 million, with a record for the center in one event, Art of Dessert, of $400,000.

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