Dudley Taft remembers a phone call that made the needs of the arts very concrete: Music Hall was behind on its electric bill, the power was at risk of being shut off and a symphony performance was scheduled that night. He began making calls to help.
That episode became part of a long commitment to the places where Cincinnati experiences the arts. Through years of involvement with Music Hall and the Aronoff Center, Dudley has worked on the practical challenges behind the performances: funding, facilities and the resources needed to welcome audiences.
His connection reaches back further still. His family helped establish the foundation on which ArtsWave was built, and his childhood included singing in choruses and attending the opera when it performed at the zoo. He remembers the animals sometimes competing with the singers.
Dudley has arranged for future grants through his foundation to support ArtsWave and other institutions important to him. Building endowment resources is central to his approach because he has seen how much organizations need a dependable financial base.
His hope is to preserve Cincinnati’s range of artistic experiences and encourage younger generations, including his own family, to help sustain them.