An Announcement from Hudson Hall

The following is a press release received from Hudson Hall:

Hudson Hall at the historic Hudson Opera House announces the public phase of its Rise Up! campaign, a $1 million initiative sparked by a generous $500,000 1:1 philanthropic matching gift from the Reinhart Foundation. This ambitious campaign will help Hudson Hall retire its mortgage and secure the future of its historic landmark building, New York State’s oldest surviving theater. With the support of several catalytic leadership gifts, the Rise Up! campaign has already achieved 80 percent of its goal and aims to conclude by the end of 2024. To learn more about how you can support the campaign, visit hudsonhall.org/rise-up-campaign or contact Katherine Peck, director of Institutional Giving, at katherine@hudsonhall.org. 

In announcing the campaign, Hudson Hall also unveils the naming for major gifts received:

• The R & R Lounge (Common Council Room), named in recognition of a generous gift from the Reinhart Foundation in memory of Myron H. and Evelyn D. Reinhart, by Cynthia R. Richards, Christopher Richards, and William Reinhart.
• The Asbjorn Lunde Gallery (Center Hall Gallery), named in honor of Asbjorn Lunde (1927-2017), a proud New Yorker and Columbia County resident with a passion for art, opera, and music. 

Additionally, Hudson Hall announces the naming for major contributions made to its Next Stage Campaign, a $9.5 million restoration of its magnificent performance hall and its first floor galleries completed in 2017, elevating its presentation of art, music, opera, dance, theater, and performance to new heights:

• The “Ellenvator” (elevator), affectionately named in recognition of longtime board member Ellen V. Thurston’s generous support and exceptional service to Hudson Hall.
• The Gary Schiro Landing (on the grand staircase), named in honor of Hudson Hall’s beloved founding executive director. 
• The Hudson Hall Donor Wall, dedicated to those donors who, since 1992, have transformed Hudson Hall from a derelict building into a vibrant cultural organization. 

Hudson Hall at the historic Hudson Opera House is a cultural beacon in the Hudson Valley, offering a dynamic year-round schedule of music, theater, dance, literature, workshops for youth and adults, as well as family programs and large-scale community events. Approximately 70 percent of its programs are offered free of charge or greatly subsidized through its Community Arts Program, ensuring equitable access to the arts for all. 

In 2017, Hudson Hall completed a comprehensive $9.5 million restoration. In making the building fully ADA accessible for the first time in its history, Hudson Hall took out a $3 million loan, which has since been reduced to under $1.5 million. 

“The Reinhart Foundation’s extraordinary gift to help us retire our mortgage will allow us to redirect essential resources to focus on our mission of delivering the finest of cultural arts experiences to our audiences,” said Paul Barrett, president of the Hudson Hall Board of Directors. “It will also set the stage for establishing an endowment to maintain our beautifully restored building for future generations.” 

Cynthia R. Richards, secretary/treasurer of the Reinhart Foundation and Hudson Hall board member, stated, “We are honored to support Hudson Hall’s Rise Up! campaign and contribute to the preservation of this vital cultural institution. My parents, Bud and Evelyn Reinhart, believed in the power of the arts to transform communities, and it is our privilege to continue their legacy through this partnership." 

“The Rise Up! campaign marks a significant milestone for Hudson Hall as we strive to secure our future,” said Tambra Dillon, Hudson Hall’s executive director. “We are deeply grateful for the support of the Reinhart Foundation, the Asbjorn Lunde Foundation, and all those who have so generously stepped up to ensure Hudson Hall remains a vibrant and accessible cultural anchor for generations to come.”

Upon successful completion of the Rise Up! campaign, Hudson Hall will reduce its mortgage to $500,000, bringing its goal of retiring the mortgage within reach.