March is Membership Madness Month for the Harris Center for the Arts at Folsom Lake College. The goal for March: attract at least 100 new members with each donating $150 or more.

 “We’ve always had a membership program but this is the first time we’ve had a month-long drive,” says Sally Howard, Director of College Advancement at Folsom Lake College and the Folsom Lake College Foundation. 

Also new - “Donors will receive membership benefits and can now direct their gift,” says Howard, explaining donors can choose to earmark their contribution to preferred areas, including: support of the center’s presenting program, youth arts outreach, and general operating funds. 

For most performing arts organizations, ticket sales alone generally fund only half of the annual budget. The remainder of the organization’s operating budget usually comes from fundraising.

Currently the Harris Center has 320 donor members. If 100 new members join at the $150 level, the center will have an extra $15,000 for the year.

 “Half a million people have gone through the Center in the past six years and have benefited,” says Phil Braverman,  co-chair of the Folsom Lake College Foundation arts committee. “We’d like to broaden that support. During Membership Month, we’re asking people to support us at the level they can afford.”

Donor Members will receive a membership pin. Membership benefits for the $150 to $299 “friend” level also include: recognition in season Playbill; an invitation to season preview events; the opportunity to purchase tickets before the general public during the season’s presale; and 15 percent off single tickets to next season’s Harris Center Presents shows during the Donor Member summer sale through August 31, 2017.

There are additional annual membership levels including “Patron” level for those who donate $300-$499; the “Associate” for donors contributing $500-$999; “Supporter” for those donating $1000-$2499. Membership levels continue to “Advocate” and “Composer” levels, as well the “Designer” level with those contributing over $10,000. 

Harris Center hopes to restore the ClassACTS! K-12 Matinees for the 2017-2018 season. During 2015-2016 season, more than 10,000 students attended shows at a reduced rate of $5 a ticket thanks to a corporate sponsorship. While that sponsorship ended, the kids’ desire to learn about arts is still going strong. 

“They really loved it and we want to bring it back,” says Howard, noting the program served school districts region-wide, across six counties. ”We are looking for a successful membership drive to help us do just that.”

Donations are tax deductible to the fullest extent of the law since the Folsom Lake College Foundation is a non-profit organization under the auspices of the Los Rios Foundation.

Please visit harriscenter.net for more information on being a donor-member.

By Kristen Castillo // Photos courtesy of Harris Center for the Arts.