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Friday, Jul. 24, 2009

LexArts will help Actors Guild hire a financial consultant

LexArts has agreed to give Actors Guild of Lexington a $7,500 matching grant to hire an organizational consultant to help the theater navigate out of its financial troubles.

In June, the LexArts allocations committee decided not to give Actors Guild a general operating support grant from its 2009 Campaign for the Arts.

The theater, which produces shows in the Downtown Arts Center on Main Street, traditionally has received money from the campaign, which in part gives operational support to groups such as the Lexington Philharmonic Orchestra and Lexington Art League.

Actors Guild's allocation request for this year was $70,900, in line with previous requests.

In denying the request LexArts said it was concerned about the theater's financial management.

The matching grant came after a meeting between LexArts and Actors Guild leaders.

LexArts President and CEO Jim Clark said in a news release, "Working with an independent consultant, AGL can confront a difficult challenge to emerge as a stronger organization with a larger community presence."

Actors Guild's managing director Kimberly Shaw said, "In the last few years, AGL has expanded its public-service programs and earned regional and national attention for its rising artistic excellence. We are now on the road to having business practices of the same high professional quality."