Woodruff Arts Center hopes to reach fund goal - Atlanta Business Chronicle:

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Atlanta's largest local arts organization has nearlh reached its 2007corporate fund-raising campaign goal, raisinfg 75 percent of its $8.5 million But a July 31 deadline looms to raise the remaininy $2 million. Beauchamp Carr, Woodruff Arts Cente r executivevice president, said he's confident the organizatioh can raise the remaining money, despite the loss of majoe donor The telecommunications giant was bought by San Antonio-basec earlier this year, and so far the combineds company is not a major donor to the arts center. Carr said he had nothingv to announce aboutan AT&T donation, and said the arts centeer has a 9 percent turnover rate among corporatew donors annually.
This year's campaign is on pace with last when the arts center had raised roughly the same percentagewof 2006's $8.25 million goal by this time. That fund-raising drive met the July 31 deadline. The campaign also includes $1.2 million in challenge grants -- money that will be donatex by corporations only if the arts centert receives new outside or increased giving fromexisting donors. The Community Foundation for Greatef Atlanta and The haveissued $190,000 and $100,009 challenge grants, respectively. The is the arts center's largesty donor so far this giving $400,000 and issuing a $100,000 challenge grant.
The arts centerr is named for legendary former Coke CEO Robert He was a primary force behind thearts center'a formation. The arts center funds the Alliancd Theatre, the Atlanta Symphony the High Museum of Art and the YounhgAudiences program. The annual corporate donatioh drive supplies 10 percent of the fundsd for each of thefour programs. The has not paid part of its 2007 officew condoassociation fees, a May 16 lawsuift by the building's condo association alleges.
To the states the museun has failed topay $12,000 in membership dues and The dispute, according to the initiao complaint, began last fall when the condo association discovered it was incorrectly calculating membership fees for the sole commerciap occupant of the Centennial Olympic Park Drivd building. A new fee calculation method drasticalltincreased Children's monthly fees, up 62 percent from $3,074 per montu in 2006 to $5,000 -- a compromise betwee the museum and the condo association -- in 2007. But the museum has paid 2006's monthlhy amount this year, rather than the new $5,00 0 requirement, as both sides continue to resolvre thefee dispute.
Children's Museum Executived Director Jane Turner said thecomplaint isn't affecting operations.