Ballet QC gets $100,000 donation for building
On Tuesday, April 30th, Ballet Quad Cities announced it’s received a $100,000 donation to its building fund, for renovations to its new space in downtown Moline.
BQC purchased the property at 1611 5th Avenue, in October 2022 and has been working on a capital campaign, “Building Ballet Quad Cities Better” to raise funds for the building’s renovation.
“We are thrilled to receive a major gift from a local arts supporter that is moved by the organization’s benefit to the community,” Ballet Quad Cities founder and CEO Joedy Cook said in a Tuesday morning release. “The addition of private funds to our grants will greatly help us to fulfill the vision of a fully functional studio for our company.”
The new location in Moline offers wide open spaces — without pillars that restrict movement — as well as room to grow and expand programming that engages, inspires, and transforms the community, BQC said.
The donor, who wishes to remain anonymous, said: “I am so happy to give to the Ballet that provides exceptional beauty to the entire community through performances and youth programs in the schools.” The donation is intended to provide matching funds for other private donations that are currently being solicited.
“This is a great shot in the arm for our capital campaign,” Dan Gleason, BQC board chairman, said in the release. “It’s rare to see that level of support from a private donor and we hope this will inspire others to give. We are tremendously grateful.”
The donation brings the capital campaign total raised through grants and other private donations to $700,000, about half of the $1.5 million required to complete the renovations.
“We still have more fundraising to do, but hoping with this generous donation that we will be able to push more donations to come in,” Gleason said Tuesday.
BQC holds a public performance schedule during the regular season and engages with schools and the community through programs such as “Dance Me a Story: Exploring Literature through Ballet” initially for second graders and later expanded and adapted for all ages.
A bullying prevention program entertains and teaches first through sixth grades, and “LEAP: Ballet as Conversation” is designed for fourth-grade students.
Moline’s Fifth Avenue is experiencing a renaissance with the Sound Conservatory leasing the Carnegie Library last fall for teaching music lessons and regular community concerts, joining the eight-year-old Black Box Theatre nearby.
“Ballet Quad Cities’ purchase and renovation of the property is another building block that is creating a ‘Heart of the Arts’ District in downtown Moline,” Moline Mayor Sangeetha Rayapati said. “We are pleased to see the investment in our community by these organizations.”
The company (which for years has operated at 613 17th St., Rock Island) hopes to begin construction later this year. Cook said there isn’t an exact date yet for building work to start.
For more information on BQC, click HERE.
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