Symphony gets challenge grant

The Richmond Symphony has received a series of gifts, four collected into a $250,000 challenge grant to raise a matching sum in new ticket sales and new or increased contributions to the orchestra for its 50th anniversary.

The grant is financed by the Commonwealth of Virginia and three corporate donors – Wachovia Foundation, Philip Morris USA and Bank of America – working through the ArtsFund, a consortium that channels contributions from corporations and their employees to local arts groups.

The symphony also has received leadership gifts from the Community Foundation, Carpenter Foundation and other Richmond-based charitable foundations to support its operations while it performs in temporary venues. It has been without a home hall since 2004, when the Carpenter Center closed for renovation.

The downtown theater is projected to reopen in fall 2009 as part of the Richmond CenterStage development.