It gives us great excitement to announce the Walter and Peggy Grauman Endowment Fund at the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts and the establishment of The Walter and Peggy Grauman Fellowship in Music based at GRoW @ The Wallis. The Grauman Fellowship in Music will make a grant of an annual Fellowship Award of at least $15,000 to advance the career of an exceptionally talented emerging classical pianist or strings player based in Los Angeles. The program is intended to support the Fellow during the transition from formal education training to the professional world. This first-ever fellowship program at The Wallis and the first of its type in Los Angeles County is made possible by the generosity of Wallis Ambassador Peggy Parker Grauman. Mrs. Grauman, known to her friends and family as “Peggy”, is a longtime, dedicated supporter of The Wallis and a visionary philanthropist for the performing arts in Los Angeles County.
“Walter and I have made a special effort over the last 50 years to help advance the training and talent opportunities of so many outstanding young musicians here in Los Angeles County. In 1988, Walter created the nationally recognized scholarship and arts training program at the Music Center known as The Spotlight Awards. I am excited that now The Wallis will have the ability to provide opportunities to talented, young string musicians and pianists through a mix of performance and professional learning opportunities during their fellowship year at The Wallis.” – Peggy Grauman
Building a career as a classical musician requires a skill set that extends far beyond exceptional talent as a performer. In addition to receiving a $15,000 Fellowship Award, the Grauman Fellow will experience performance opportunities, guidance, and mentorship from The Wallis, receiving exposure to career-readiness opportunities. Fellows will also be asked to plan and implement a community-based project designed to promote awareness and appreciation of classical music among new audiences in Los Angeles County, including younger audiences and those who lack regular access to the arts. The Wallis will announce the selection of the Grauman Fellow annually at the beginning of the organization’s Season.
The Walter and Peggy Grauman Endowment Fund and the Grauman Fellowship in Music are dedicated to supporting education, arts learning, and community engagement initiatives embodied through GRoW @ The Wallis in perpetuity. The Wallis’ endowment provides a source for a permanent, self-sustaining funding for our organization, allowing us to fulfill the greatest extent of our mission and meet the future with financial stability. Endowment giving allows donors to explore new possibilities to create a lasting legacy at The Wallis by investing in and helping to build the aspects of our mission that are most meaningful to each donor and their family.
About GRoW @ The Wallis
The Wallis believes everyone deserves to learn and grow through the arts. Thanks to a generous gift from Gregory Annenberg Weingarten and Family, our campus includes a wing dedicated to sharing the arts with learners of all ages. Arts learning is integral to all that we do at The Wallis: connecting audiences with the very best in the performing arts; using the power of the arts to build community and address pressing social issues; and responding to critical needs in the greater community through arts leadership, collaboration and partnership.
For more information about the Walter and Peggy Grauman Endowment Fund, the Grauman Fellowship in Music, and endowment giving at The Wallis, please contact Rachel Fine, Executive Director & Chief Executive Officer, at 310.246.3800 or [email protected].