Annenberg Foundation Grants $500,000 to The University of the Arts for Construction of Skyline...

PHILADELPHIA -- The University of the Arts (UArts) has received a $500,000 grant from the Annenberg Foundation to assist in the completion of the Skyline Performing Arts Center (SPAC), the $7 million, 22,000-square-foot facility on the 16th and 17th floors of the University's Terra Hall at

Leonore Annenberg, President and Chairman of the Annenberg Foundation, noted that The University of the Arts plays a vital role in the vibrant artistic life of the city. She added, "I am delighted that the Foundation's support will help the University complete the Skyline Performing Arts Center, which promises to be a valuable addition to the performance venues available on the Avenue of the Arts."

Philadelphia's only performing and visual arts center with a view of the city's evolving horizon, the Skyline Performing Arts Center will feature a 250-seat recital hall, 100-seat blackbox theater, two exhibition galleries and several visual art display spaces, which will present unprecedented opportunities for synergies among the University's visual and performing arts programs.

"Since our founding, the University has been committed to adding to the cultural atmosphere of Center City," said UArts President and CEO Miguel Angel Corzo. "With Skyline, the University will further its mission of cultivating creativity and innovation in the arts as the Philadelphia region continues to emerge as a global leader in the Creative Economy. Skyline will provide audiences with a remarkable combination of talent, performance quality and outstanding views."

A private foundation established in 1989, the Annenberg Foundation is the successor corporation to the Annenberg School at Radnor, Pa., established in 1958 by Walter H. Annenberg. The Foundation exists to advance the public well-being through improved communication. As the principal means of achieving its goal, the Foundation encourages the development of more effective ways to share ideas and knowledge.

The University of the Arts is the nation's first and only university dedicated to the visual, performing and communication arts. Its 2,300 students are enrolled in undergraduate and graduate programs on its campus in the heart of Philadelphia's Avenue of the Arts. Its history as a leader in educating creative individuals spans more than 130 years.