Supporter Spotlight: THE MARGOT L. ECCLES ARTS & CULTURE FUND​

Claire Wilcher, Paeton Chavis, and Grant Somkiet O'Meara in IRT's 2018 production of The Town Mouse and the Country Mouse. Photo by Zach Rosing.

Each season, the IRT strives to produce top-quality theatre consisting of shows that will challenge, surprise, and entertain our audiences. With every production, from William Shakespeare to James Still, our goal is to stretch ourselves artistically and bring something truly unique to our stages. Instrumental to that goal is the generous support of The Margot L. Eccles Arts & Culture Fund, a fund of CICF. This extraordinary fund, managed by Central Indiana Community Foundation (CICF), exists to carry on the legacy of Margot L. Eccles, who served with distinction on the IRT Board of Directors from 1996-2001. Each year, grants are awarded to organizations and projects that were important to Mrs. Eccles during her lifetime and to new opportunities that would match her passions and priorities. 

Mrs. Eccles' purpose for this fund was to support the cultural community with grants that make organizations "dream big” — for projects that would extend cultural arts activities that build bridges across Indianapolis and engage all members of the community. This involves projects that require organizational risk, building new audiences, and seizing opportunities that the organization would not otherwise be able to, all ultimately leading to increased organizational stability in the future. 

And dreaming big is exactly what we've done! Over the past four seasons, the Eccles Fund has played a vital role in launching our Exploring Stages programing, bringing theatre to a new generation with shows specifically designed for children ages 3-8. It allowed us to honor the Indiana Bicentennial with the creation of Finding Home: Indiana at 200, which paired the music of Tim Grimm with the work of an astonishing twenty-nine writers from across the state and vibrantly brought two centuries of history to life. In our current season, the fund is instrumental in recognizing James Still's remarkable 20-season tenure as the IRT's Playwright-in-Residence, which is celebrated through public readings of James's work, special behind-the-scenes events, and fully realized productions of Looking Over the President's Shoulder and Appoggiatura. 

The Margot L. Eccles Arts & Culture Fund has allowed us to serve our audience with heightened innovation, increased scale, and a tremendous amount of heart. As we plan the IRT's 2018-2019 season, and our next "big dream," we offer our most sincere thanks to the Eccles Fund and CICF for their encouragement, support, and leadership in raising the bar for the Indiana arts community!