The Dairy Center for the Arts has been named the recipient of a substantial grant from Boulder residents Gordon and Grace Gamm. The passage of Ballot Measure 2A assured The Dairy of the funding required to renovate the former operating dairy and upgrade the quality of its performance theaters.
In delivering the grant, Gamm stated, “The arts play a critical role in the quality of life in our community. Through a collaboration of excellent arts organizations, Boulder can become as significant as an arts destination as it is an outdoors and health-conscious community. With our natural beauty and well-educated population, we can become a model city for an excellent quality of life. Grace and I hope for The Dairy to become the coordinating hub for the arts in Boulder in order to maximize the quality of arts entertainment and education. Exposure to the arts enhances the quality of our lives and contributes to the desirability of making Boulder our home. Children’s lives are enriched by their exposure to excellent art and performance. Creative expression provides new opportunities for understanding ourselves and our world. Commercial enterprise benefits from attracting employees seeking enriching communities for their families. It is an honor to give back for the blessing of this community.”
The Dairy is home to over 200,000 arts experiences every year and provides music and dance studios for over 2,000 students. Its three performance theaters are the home to local theater companies, dance organizations, and music groups. The Boedecker Theater at The Dairy is a nationally-recognized arts cinema providing Boulder with exclusive cinema experiences. There are also three art galleries within The Dairy hosting local, regional, and national artists in twenty exhibits each year.
Bill Obermeier, Executive Director of The Dairy, said, “This is the most exciting one-two punch an arts organization could hope for. The passage of 2A together with this gift will make it possible for The Dairy to make all the upgrades required to provide the highest possible quality experience for both performers and audiences in a facility that will be the pride of this community.” Obermeier explains the grant will also help make it possible to bring performances to The Dairy that based on ticket sales alone would not otherwise be affordable. “This grant changes the paradigm for The Dairy and this community.”
In recognition of one of Colorado’s outstanding contributions to the arts, the two largest theaters at The Dairy will bear the Grace and Gordon Gamm identity. The Gordon Gamm Performance Theater will host dance and music performances, while the Grace Gamm Drama Theater will host theatrical performances. “We all think about our legacy sooner or later,” said Obermeier, “and how exciting for Grace and Gordon that individuals and families and performers for generations to come will have them to thank for the quality of experiences they have at The Dairy.”
(photo: Courtesy of Matthew Gale Photography)