Ray Solley Executive Director Tower Theatre Foundation
Ray Solley Executive Director Tower Theatre Foundation Ray Solley is the Executive Director of the Tower Theatre Foundation (TTF), a nonprofit organization that owns and operates the historic theatre in downtown Bend, Oregon. The Foundation promotes, programs, raises funds for, and rents the renovated Art Deco Moderne venue for a wide variety of performing arts events and organizations. Since Ray was hired in April 2009, the Tower: • established a four-month operating reserve fund • raised its membership and volunteer numbers to record highs • increased theatre usage and attendance In November 2010, the Foundation received a capacity-building grant from Oregon Community Foundation—the largest single amount awarded the Tower since its renovation in 2004. In 2011, Solley launched an educational outreach initiative called LessonPLAN (Performing Live Arts Now). Fueled by donations to the Stover Fund, the Tower enhances school curriculum and literature-based studies by bringing performing artists from around the world to the theatre and into Central Oregon classrooms. In 2012, LessonPLAN reached 3,500 students and families, receiving the Arts, Beautification and Culture Award for “substantially contributing to Bend’s culture.” Ray has invigorated the Tower, bringing the world’s best performers to the Bend Surgery Center’s “CenterStage Series,” and showcasing the finest community theatre productions in the “Marquee Series,” sponsored by BendBroadband. Solley moved to Bend after 26 years in Southern California. From 2005-2009, he was Executive Director of the Torrance Cultural Arts Center Foundation, overseeing all programming, marketing, fundraising, and day-to-day operations of the nonprofit. The diverse acts and personalities Solley has brought to Torrance and Bend include: Ed Asner, Spike Lee, Martin Short, Jo Dee Messina, Rita Moreno, Molly Ringwald, Peking Acrobats, Vienna & Moscow Boys Choirs, Hector Elizondo, Mariachi Divas, Celtic Tenors, Tower of Power, Peter Yarrow, Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Geraldine Ferraro, B.D.
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