The annual Black and White Gala took place on Nov. 14, and raised $13,000 for the Performing Arts Center.
The Performing Arts Gala is a black tie event showcasing the various performing art departments on campus. It is organized and run by the Carlmont Arts Council as a fundraiser for the Performing Arts Center, or PAC. The money made from this event is used to support the operational requirements of the PAC.
The president of the Carlmont Arts Council, Toby McMillen, said, “The district maintains the physical building, but the Arts Council is responsible for everything inside that makes it the state-of-the-art performing arts facility it is today.”
Just last year, the Carlmont Arts Council purchased a brand new soundboard as an upgrade in performance and sound quality. This purchase came directly from the funds made from last year’s Gala.
Carlmont Performing Arts Center’s Theater Manager, Geoff Horn, said, “The money spent last year on our sound console upgrade was a great example of the Arts Council giving money back to the PAC to benefit both Carlmont High School and the outside groups that rent our space.”
In addition to the Gala, a main source of funding for the PAC comes from renting the space to outside groups such as various dance companies, instrumental music groups, and lecturers. Without this frequent source of income, the PAC would have serious financial issues.
Horn said, “The PAC is not cost-neutral. It costs a lot of money to run this place properly. By the end of the year, if we come up short, the Arts Council is there to help us with that.”
The main purpose of the Carlmont Arts Council is to provide a sufficient amount of money to have the PAC run smoothly.
McMillen said, “The Arts Council is prepared if something unexpected comes up, like a large repair. We try to be extremely conservative with our expenditures so that we are always ready for the unknown.”
Carlmont’s administration provides minimal funds for the PAC, leaving the Arts Council to do most of the fundraising.
Carlmont’s Principal Ralph Crame said, “My involvement with the PAC budget varies depending on what the subject matter is. If it is some sort of maintenance issue, we cover it, but anything else is covered by our very supportive Arts Council.”
The Carlmont Arts Council has found great success with the Gala and intends to continue holding this annual fundraiser.
McMillen said, “While we are always looking for new revenue streams. I believe that we will continue with the Gala. Why not?”
