Peter F. Donnelly (October 6, 1938 – March 28, 2009) was an American patron of the arts. He was a former vice-chairman of Americans for the Arts, a co-founder of the Seattle Arts Commission and a pivotal figure in the Seattle artistic community for more than 45 years. [1]
Born in Lynn, Massachusetts, Donnelly graduated from Boston University and moved to Seattle in 1964 as a Ford Foundation management fellow to work with the fledgling Seattle Repertory Theatre as the first managing director and later as producing director, [2] during his 21-year tenure. [3]
In 1986, Donnelly left Seattle to take the position of the producing director of the Dallas Theater Center, [4] returning to Seattle in 1989 to at the request of local business leaders to head the Seattle Corporate Council for the Arts, [5] which later became ArtsFund, where he served as president and CEO until retiring in 2005. [6] In honor of his retirement, the ArtsFund created the Peter F. Donnelly Merit Fund for Arts Endowments. [7]
Donnelly is credited with being instrumental in the building of the Seattle Repertory Theatre's Bagley Wright Theater and the development of the Building for the Arts program, a primary funding source for Seattle's Benaroya Hall, Intiman Theater, Seattle Children's Theatre, as well as 150 other arts facilities. [8] In 2001 the Seattle Public Library honored Donnelly by naming one of their five major collections as The Peter F. Donnelly Art and Literature Collection. [9] Donnelly also served on the board of directors for the Frye Art Museum, the 5th Avenue Theatre, the University of Washington School of Drama Advisory Committee and Classic KING-FM Radio Station.
Donnelly died on March 28, 2009, a week after being diagnosed with advanced pancreatic cancer [10] and is survived by his partner, David Farrar, of Seattle as well as two sisters. [11]
National Coalition of United Arts Fund's Michael Newton Award – 1995 [12]
2005 Mayor's Arts Award: Tour de Force [13]
Peter F. Donnelly (October 6, 1938 – March 28, 2009) was an American patron of the arts. He was a former vice-chairman of Americans for the Arts, a co-founder of the Seattle Arts Commission and a pivotal figure in the Seattle artistic community for more than 45 years. [1]
Born in Lynn, Massachusetts, Donnelly graduated from Boston University and moved to Seattle in 1964 as a Ford Foundation management fellow to work with the fledgling Seattle Repertory Theatre as the first managing director and later as producing director, [2] during his 21-year tenure. [3]
In 1986, Donnelly left Seattle to take the position of the producing director of the Dallas Theater Center, [4] returning to Seattle in 1989 to at the request of local business leaders to head the Seattle Corporate Council for the Arts, [5] which later became ArtsFund, where he served as president and CEO until retiring in 2005. [6] In honor of his retirement, the ArtsFund created the Peter F. Donnelly Merit Fund for Arts Endowments. [7]
Donnelly is credited with being instrumental in the building of the Seattle Repertory Theatre's Bagley Wright Theater and the development of the Building for the Arts program, a primary funding source for Seattle's Benaroya Hall, Intiman Theater, Seattle Children's Theatre, as well as 150 other arts facilities. [8] In 2001 the Seattle Public Library honored Donnelly by naming one of their five major collections as The Peter F. Donnelly Art and Literature Collection. [9] Donnelly also served on the board of directors for the Frye Art Museum, the 5th Avenue Theatre, the University of Washington School of Drama Advisory Committee and Classic KING-FM Radio Station.
Donnelly died on March 28, 2009, a week after being diagnosed with advanced pancreatic cancer [10] and is survived by his partner, David Farrar, of Seattle as well as two sisters. [11]
National Coalition of United Arts Fund's Michael Newton Award – 1995 [12]
2005 Mayor's Arts Award: Tour de Force [13]