Any donation during Phase II helps to build art and education in your community!
Anonymous donor doubles every dollar through June 5 — campaign enters final push to fund summer programming for children and community
DENISON, TX, UNITED STATES, May 12, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — The Denison Arts Council (DAC) announced today that Phase I of its Home for the Arts capital campaign has been successfully completed, securing the initial funding needed to move forward with the purchase of 500 W Woodard Street in downtown Denison. The organization has now entered Phase 2 of the campaign, which runs through June 30, 2026, with a focused goal: closing the remaining funding gap to support new summer programming — including children’s arts camps — and building the operational foundation for the facility’s first season of community use.
$10,000 Matching Gift: Every Dollar Doubled Through June 5
To accelerate the Phase 2 push, the Denison Arts Council has received a $10,000 anonymous matching gift. Every dollar donated to the Home for the Arts campaign between now and June 5, 2026, will be matched dollar-for-dollar, up to $10,000. That means a $50 gift becomes $100. A $1,000 gift becomes $2,000. The match applies to all donations made through the campaign’s Givebutter page, by check, or by securities transfer.
“The matching gift is a powerful signal that this community believes in what we’re building,” said Cindy Salem, Board President of the Denison Arts Council. “Phase I proved that Denison is ready to invest in its cultural future. Phase 2 is about finishing the job — and making sure we can open our doors this summer with programming that serves families, kids, and artists from day one.”
Phase I: Mission Accomplished
Launched in April 2026 as a 45-day capital campaign, Phase I rallied community support from civic leaders, local businesses, and individual donors to secure the foundational funding for the purchase of 500 W Woodard Street. The campaign generated significant early commitments and demonstrated broad community demand for a permanent cultural arts facility in the heart of downtown Denison.
The successful completion of Phase I represents a shift from expense to equity — replacing annual rental costs with an owned asset that grows in value alongside downtown Denison.
Phase 2: Closing the Gap for Summer Programming
Phase 2 of the Home for the Arts campaign runs through June 30, 2026. While Phase I secured the capital needed to move forward with the building acquisition, Phase 2 is focused on closing the remaining funding gap to support new programming that will launch this summer, including:
• Summer Art Camps for children and teens — multi-week, materials-included programs in visual arts, mixed media, and creative exploration
• Youth arts education and after-school programming with a minimum of 30% scholarship seats reserved
• Gallery exhibitions and community events open to the public
• Recreational art classes for adults and seniors, including senior creative wellness workshops
• Culinary arts programming and community cooking classes in the facility’s teaching kitchen
These programs are designed to deliver immediate value to the Denison community — particularly to families looking for enriching, affordable summer activities for their children. Every dollar raised in Phase 2 goes directly toward making this first season of programming a reality.
New Giving Option: Donate Appreciated Securities
In addition to cash and check donations, the Denison Arts Council now accepts gifts of appreciated securities — including stocks, mutual funds, and other investments — through its brokerage account. For donors holding investments that have grown in value, a securities transfer can be one of the most tax-efficient ways to support the Home for the Arts campaign.
When appreciated securities held for more than one year are transferred directly from a donor’s brokerage to the DAC’s brokerage account, the donor may be able to deduct the full fair market value of the securities as a charitable contribution — while paying no capital gains tax on the appreciation. This means more of the investment’s value goes to supporting the arts, and the donor retains more of their tax savings compared to selling the securities and donating the proceeds.
The process is simple: contact the Denison Arts Council for brokerage account details, instruct your broker to initiate the transfer, and DAC will provide a written acknowledgment for tax records. Most transfers are completed within three to five business days. The Denison Arts Council recommends that donors consult their own financial advisor or tax professional to determine how a securities gift fits their individual situation.
About 500 W Woodard Street
Located in the heart of downtown Denison, 500 W Woodard Street will serve as the Denison Arts Council’s permanent headquarters, housing studio space for working artists, classrooms for youth arts education, gallery space open to the public, a teaching kitchen for culinary arts programming, photography and podcast studios, and facilities for community events and performances.
The building’s downtown location aligns with broader economic development goals for the area, providing a consistent source of cultural activity and foot traffic to the surrounding district. The facility is designed to generate hands-on workforce training in digital media, fabrication, and creative technology, while a planned second-floor maker space will lower the barrier to micro-enterprise and small business formation.
Economic & Community Impact
Arts and culture are economic drivers — not amenities. Across Texas, the arts and culture sector has grown more than 30 percent in the past decade, generating local spending, sales tax revenue, and job creation in communities that invest in creative infrastructure. Texas’s creative sector employs nearly 960,000 people — one in 14 Texas jobs — with a 62% wage premium over non-creative careers. Creative sector employment is projected to grow 24% or more by 2032, adding 225,000 new jobs statewide.
In education, Texas students who are highly engaged in the arts are 46% more likely to pass TSI criteria and twice as likely to meet AP/IB exam criteria — yet only 17% of students are highly engaged in the arts. The Denison Arts Council’s youth programs and scholarship model are designed to directly address this access gap for Denison ISD students and families across Grayson County.
How to Give
• Online: www.givebutter.com/denisonartscouncil (all online gifts made by June 5 are eligible for the dollar-for-dollar match)
• By check: Payable to Denison Arts Council | Memo: Headquarters Campaign | PO Box 404, Denison, TX 75020
• Securities transfer: Contact Cindy Salem at denisonarts@gmail.com for brokerage account details and transfer instructions
• Major gifts / installments: Contact Cindy Salem at denisonarts@gmail.com
Giving tiers: The Sketch ($150), The Designer ($250), The Artisan ($1,000), The Curator ($5,000), The Visionary ($15,000), The Virtuoso ($25,000), The Maestro ($50,000), and The Patron ($100,000), with a custom option also available. Donors at every level are recognized as part of the Denison Arts Council’s permanent home.
All gifts are tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law. The Denison Arts Council is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization.
Key Dates:
• Matching gift deadline: June 5, 2026 — every dollar matched dollar-for-dollar up to $10,000
• Phase 2 campaign deadline: June 30, 2026
About the Denison Arts Council
The Denison Arts Council was incorporated in 1980 with a mission to promote, encourage, and develop cultural activities to serve the needs of all citizens through participation, exposure, and educational opportunities. In 2009 the Texas Commission on the Arts selected the Denison Arts Council for inclusion in the Cultural District Designation Pilot Program, recognizing the organization’s role in stimulating economic development, attracting tourism, and fostering civic pride. The Denison Arts Council is proud to be a founding city in this program and to have continuous support from the TCA.
Cindy Salem
Denison Arts Council
denisonarts@gmail.com
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