Peter F. Donnelly (October 6, 1938 – March 28, 2009) was an American patron of the arts. He was a former vice-chairman of Americans for the Arts, a co-founder of the Seattle Arts Commission and a pivotal figure in the Seattle artistic community for more than 45 years.Seattle Times article on Donnelly
Born in Lynn, Massachusetts, Donnelly graduated from Boston University and moved to Seattle in 1964 as a Ford Foundation management fellow to work with the fledgling Seattle Repertory Theatre as the first managing director and later as producing director,Seattle Times article on Donnelly during his 21-year tenure.ArtsUsa news
In 1986, Donnelly left Seattle to take the position of the producing director of the Dallas Theater Center,Dallas Theater Center article returning to Seattle in 1989 to at the request of local business leaders to head the Seattle Corporate Council for the Arts, which later became ArtsFund, where he served as president and CEO until retiring in 2005.Donnelly's Council of the Arts administration In honor of his retirement, the ArtsFund created the Peter F. Donnelly Merit Fund for Arts Endowments.Article on Donnelly endowments
Donnelly is credited with being instrumental in the building of the Seattle Repertory Theatre's Bagley Wright Theater and the development of the Building for the Arts program, a primary funding source for Seattle's Benaroya Hall, Intiman Theater, Seattle Children's Theatre, as well as 150 other arts facilities.Seattle Times report on Donnelly In 2001 the Seattle Public Library honored Donnelly by naming one of their five major collections as The Peter F. Donnelly Art and Literature Collection. Donnelly also served on the board of directors for the Frye Art Museum, the 5th Avenue Theatre, the University of Washington School of Drama Advisory Committee and Classic KING-FM Radio Station.
Death Donnelly died on March 28, 2009, a week after being diagnosed with advanced pancreatic cancer and is survived by his partner, David Farrar, of Seattle as well as two sisters.Seattle Times obit
Awards National Coalition of United Arts Fund's Michael Newton Award – 1995
2005 Mayor's Arts Award: Tour de Force
References