The Santa Barbara Bowl Foundation Board of Directors and the Chairman’s Campaign Cabinet are proud to announce that the Bowl’s American Classic Capital Campaign has received a $1,000,000 leadership gift from Angie and Stephen Redding. Groundbreaking for the new Redding Gate at the entrance to the Glen, the Bowl’s outdoor lobby, is scheduled for Friday, November 16, 2007 and will be completed as part of the Pavilion Grand Opening Festivities in 2008.“We continue to be deeply gratified at the generosity the Bowl has experienced during this campaign,” said Campaign Chairman Scott Brittingham. “Through this visionary gift, the Angie and Stephen Redding epitomize the vibrant, committed, generous community leadership for which Santa Barbara is known. We cannot thank them enough.”“We felt it was important to participate in this campaign to ensure the Bowl’s healthy future,” said Stephen Redding. He and his wife, Angie, have been supporters of the Bowl Foundation for over a decade. “The Bowl is a key element in Santa Barbara’s diverse arts community, and the Gate will provide the welcoming entry way that leads to the magical evenings we all love to spend listening to America’s greatest musicians. Our family has been enjoying concerts together at this unique venue for many years, and we’re looking forward to many, many more.” Designed in the spirit of the Bowl’s distinctive 1930s Works Progress Administration (WPA) Craftsman-style architecture, the decorative stone and steel Redding Gate will make an elegant addition to the Bowl. Striking architecture that includes an overhanging trellis and native plants, this new entrance to the Glen will provide better access for patrons and improved security on non-event days. “No other performing arts facility in America has an outdoor lobby like ours,” said Paul Dore, President of the Santa Barbara Bowl Foundation. “Our lobby, the Glen, is shaded with specimen oaks and native plants, and will be fully refurbished with a water element and an updated reception area as part of the capital campaign. The Reddings have made a critically important contribution to the realization of the Bowl’s Master Plan. We are now looking for that special donor who will become enthusiastic about completing the Glen’s landscaping renovation.” Preliminary plans for the Glen’s renovation and beautification are drafted and the Bowl’s Facility Committee is working with Susan Van Atta of Van Atta Associates, local landscape architects, to create a special space true to the Santa Barbara environment with indigenous plants and trees. The main walkway through the Glen will sit under a canopy of mature oak providing a sense of tranquility and shelter to the site, while native plantings will emphasize the beauty of the canyon and create a dramatic and magical journey to the concert amphitheatre.The American Classic Campaign is the final campaign phase for the Santa Barbara Bowl’s renovation and restoration Master Plan. When the Master Plan is completed, the early 20th century grace will remain but rest firmly on 21st century underpinnings. Although the new improvements will be first-class and in keeping with the distinctive architectural style, the American Classic Campaign is not about cosmetics. Every element is necessary for Santa Barbara’s beloved Bowl not only to maintain its place as one of America’s finest outdoor concert venues but also to be able to continue to attract top-tier, world-class artists. To date, the Campaign has raised $12,151,165 from 126 donors.
Santa Barbara Bowl Breaks Ground for the Angie and Stephen Redding Gate
- by: Staff Writers