The Next 75 Years of Live Arts

A Multi-Million Fundraising Initiative

A three-year campaign to elevate artistic excellence, strengthen our foundation and reengage our community—setting the stage for the Dunes Arts Foundation’s next era.

Audience seated on grass watching a performance at outdoor wooden amphitheater.

WHAT THIS CAMPAIGN MAKES POSSIBLE

The Next 75 Years of Live Arts is about strengthening what works today while building responsibly for tomorrow.

This campaign allows Dunes Arts Foundation to:

Provide fair, living wages for artists and staff
Expand youth and adult education programs to meet growing community demand
Introduce new initiatives that welcome new audiences to live theatre
Stabilize and improve our historic 80-year-old theatre for safe, accessible, year-round use

Together, these investments ensure DAF remains a vibrant cultural home for Northwest Indiana and Harbor Country.

Two men smiling, flexing arms on stage during a performance.

Theatrical performance: woman in green, surprised man, laughing ghost on couch.

Woman applying makeup, reflected in ornate mirror on a painted wall, stage left.

Three people on stage holding binders and smiling during an event.

education & scholarships

$500,000 Goal

Expanding access and opportunity through:

• Youth scholarships
• Expanded youth and adult education programs
• Community engagement initiatives that build creativity and confidence

OPERATIONS

$1,000,000 Goal

Supporting the people and systems that sustain high-quality performances:

• Living wages for artists and theatre professionals
• Staffing and operational capacity to support growth
• Production and administrative support for excellence

CAPITAL BUILDING IMPROVEMENTS

$1,500,000

Preserving and modernizing DAF’s historic theatre:

• Safety, accessibility, and code-related upgrades
• Patron comfort improvements
• Infrastructure enhancements for long-term, year-round use

Campaign Priorities & Investment

A COMMITMENT TO THE FUTURE

THE NEXT 75 YEARS is more than a fundraising effort. It is a commitment to:

• Artistic excellence
• Community connection
• A theatre that continues to inspire

Every contribution helps raise the curtain on what comes next.

Join Us. Together, we can secure THE NEXT 75 YEARS of premier performing arts at the Dunes Arts Foundation.

MAKE A GIFT

$3 Million Campaign
March 2026 – March 2029

For 75 years, the Dunes Arts Foundation has entertained and inspired our community through high-quality performances and programs.

THE NEXT 75 YEARS is a focused, three-year fundraising initiative to ensure that premier performing arts continue to thrive—artistically, financially, and structurally—for generations to come.

This campaign advances DAF’s mission by investing in the people, programs, and facilities that make exceptional theatre possible.

Why This Campaign & Why Now

Artistic excellence requires intention and investment.

Behind every performance are skilled artists, dedicated staff, meaningful education programs and a facility that supports both artists and audiences. THE NEXT 75 YEARS strengthens that foundation—so what happens on stage can continue to inspire.

As we celebrate our 75th anniversary, we are asking a bigger question: How can DAF better serve our community as the cultural hub for high quality performances, both today and in the future?

Our vision is to be the premier performing arts center in our region. Live performance and arts education sit at the heart of everything we do. From professional productions to youth and adult education, the Dunes enhances quality of life, fosters creativity, and creates meaningful shared experiences. This campaign allows us to deepen that impact while strengthening the foundation that makes it all possible.

Four actors in period costumes perform a dramatic scene on stage.

Our GOAL: ENSURING EXCEPTIONAL Live Arts For the Next 75 Years

The Next 75 Years of Live Arts sets a course toward a future where:

Artists are supported with fair, living wages
Education programs expand to meet growing community need
New audiences are welcomed into live theatre
Our historic 80-year-old building is stabilized and modernized
The organization is financially secure—now and in perpetuity

This campaign is about capacity, sustainability, and access—ensuring the arts remain vibrant and available to all.