Effort to build Central Oregon Center for the Arts takes next step, hires consultant to help raise funds, advance vision

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) – The effort to build the Central Oregon Center for the Arts has taken a major step forward with the hiring of a consulting company to assist the COCA Board of Directors as it builds its operating and organizational infrastructure.

This effort will be led by John C. Jepson, a Netzel Grigsby Associates executive who is based in Bend. Jepson will serve as lead development counsel.

Hiring a consultant to focus on fundraising and relationship-building will help COCA create an enduring foundation and infrastructure.

As a first step, Jepson and Netzel Grigsby will work with the COCA Board to design and facilitate a professional fundraising plan, a plan for a Major Gifts Program, a campaign-readiness review, a case-statement development, and a campaign assessment.

The second part of the process will consist of guiding research needed to identify priority prospects with the capacity to consider major gifts to COCA; coaching and training staff in the key principles and strategies for major-gifts fundraising; guide the solicitation of major prospects; and developing a master plan for a capital campaign and facility development.

The process, now under way, is expected to conclude in August 2024. It was made possible by the receipt of a major gift from a donor who wishes to remain anonymous, and by grants from the Bend Cultural Tourism Fund, the Marie Lamfrom Charitable Foundation and First Interstate Bank.

“We’re very pleased to be in the position to take this critical next step toward construction of the Central Oregon for the Arts,” said Laura Thompson, chair of the COCA board. “We have our work cut out for us, but this agreement with Netzel Grigsby, financed by the generosity of our donors, will make sure that we have the firm organizational foundation required to make COCA a reality.”

That announcement may seem dull. It isn’t. Here’s why.

That infrastructure will allow the COCA board, brought this far by a band of enthusiastic volunteers, to develop into a professional-level board that can carry the project through to completion at an estimated opening in 2029.

It also will help the board build an organization capable of providing a successful outreach to the Central Oregon community in preparation for a major capital campaign, currently scheduled to begin in 2024.

This effort will be led and facilitated by John C. Jepson, a Netzel Grigsby officer who lives in Bend. This local factor was considered critical by COCA board members. Jepson has more than 30 years of experience working with major nonprofit organizations. His work within nonprofits and as a consultant gives him a unique perspective regarding the opportunities and challenges facing leaders in many different types of nonprofits.

Serving as Senior Fun-Raising Officer for St. Charles Medical Center in Bend, Jepson managed the fundraising efforts and led the organization in raising over $27 million and successfully completing three major capital campaigns for a new cancer center, intensive care unit and health clinic in La Pine.

“We, the members of the COCA board, are determined to get this done, and to do so in the most organized and professional way possible,” said Laura Thompson, COCA board chair. “That’s why we are excited that Netzel Grigsby and John Jepson have joined us with this project.”

Residents Find Life in Bend Almost Complete – Except for a Center for the Arts

A common strain running through residents of Central Oregon is the joy derived from artistic activities – especially music and dance, whether it be in food-cart pods or concert halls. This is true of long-time residents and it’s also true of those who have arrived more recently. So, it seems no wonder that the concept of a Central Oregon Center for the Arts is receiving warm support.

An important component of that support comes from people like Roger and Joyce Kirk, long-time Kirkland, Washington residents who five years ago traded the noise and bustle of Kirkland and Seattle, its close neighbor, for the serenity and beauty of life in Bend.

“It’s a beautiful place with a lot of good energy,” Joyce says of Bend. “We have so enjoyed the Central Oregon Symphony, the Central Oregon School of Ballet and Bend Opera – there’s just a lot of culture and arts here in Central Oregon.”

But while the Kirks love the cultural opportunities available in Central Oregon, they miss the expansiveness and comfort of the concert halls and auditoriums they are used to.

“Early on, when we first came here, I felt like we could do better. The auditorium at Bend High is OK, and so is the Tower. But we can do better,” Joyce said.

The educational outreach planned for the Central Oregon Center for the Arts would be critically important.

“We went to a Central Oregon Symphony concert, the Rachmaninoff Piano Concert Number Two,” Joyce said. “It gives me chills to hear it on the radio. This was the first time I’ve heard it live. I was thrilled. But you have to get the word out, the word about the beauty of the music, of the arts. The arts can broaden perspectives, helping people learn something new.”

“We saw the Moscow Ballet at the Tower,” she continued. “I don’t know how they got all those dancers on that tiny stage, but they did. I had a lovely time, but I really think that a new building, a facility that allows access for people who use walkers, better access, a theater that built to the American with Disabilities Act standards.”

When asked about the importance of the COCA dream, she said, “On a scale of 1 to 5, it’s a 5. I’m hoping that it will become a home for all forms of art.”

Envision Bend Recommends COCA

We’re right there in the Envision Bend 2024-2028 Vision Action Plan, listed as one of two “Recommended Partners” under a section titled, “Collaborative Arts for Community Cohesion.” The other recommended partner is the Tower Theatre.

The text under this recommendation reads as follows:

“Strengthen community cohesion and well-being by elevating and expanding on the foundation of artistic organizations, programs, events and experiences in the Greater Bend area. Bring members of the artistic community and interested residents together to identify new ways to collaborate, explore shared stories, invite new voices, promote reflection and discussion, and expand access to the arts. Identify and address current gaps and needs in arts venues and resources while building support and commitment for the Central Oregon Center for the Arts, which aspires to champion inclusive, transformative, and diverse arts experiences.”

The COCA board of directors is working hard to make sure that COCA is worthy of this vital Envision Bend recommendation. You can read the full report at www.envisionbend.org.