Dear Friends,

We have some exciting news to share: Last night at the Fund’s celebratory annual gala, which raised more than $1.1 million, Fund Board Chair Annette Bening and Leadership Council Chair Brian Stokes Mitchell announced the public launch of the ESSENTIAL Campaign. This $160 million fundraising effort will ensure that the Fund can significantly expand our programs and triple the number of people we serve each year.

We aim to meet this goal by the end of 2024. At the helm of the Campaign are Honorary Co-Chairs Annette Bening and Brian Stokes Mitchell, as well as Co-Chairs Chris Keyser, Kenny Leon, Matthew Loeb, Shonda Rhimes, Robert Wankel and Hugh Jackman, who has this special message he wants to share with you.

It takes all of us to ensure that the Entertainment Community Fund remains a consistent pillar in supporting a life in the arts. We look forward to sharing more about the ESSENTIAL campaign in the weeks and months ahead.

For more information about the ESSENTIAL Campaign, please go to entertainmentcommunity.org/Essential. Thank you for supporting a life in the arts!