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Endow the Dream

“I imagine that during the next 100 years this will be a place of great interest and excitement.”
—Herman Krannert (engineering 1912), 1969

Krannert Center’s inaugural benefactors, philanthropists Herman and Ellnora Krannert, were bold dreamers—two remarkable individuals whose vision for the future, commitment to excellence in the arts, and loyalty to the University of Illinois made manifest what is widely considered the nation’s leading university-based performing arts center. From the Center’s inception, the Krannerts’ dream has thrived with the investment and collaboration of so many who understand the profound role that the arts play in building community, creating global understanding, and inspiring hope.

To ensure that the very special impact of Krannert Center’s work continues through future generations, the Center has embarked upon a five-year, $30 million campaign to strengthen the Center’s endowment fund.

Establishing this firm financial foundation will:

  • $15 million: Ensure the vigorously diverse spectrum of world-class artistry in the Center’s public programming
  • $5 million: Enhance the professional training and cultural experience of students in and beyond the arts
  • $5 million: Robustly support creative research and the development of new works
  • $5 million: Foster access and public engagement

Join Krannert Center and With Illinois—the University of Illinois’ most ambitious campaign ever—by making your immediate donation, pledge, or estate gift of $ to Endow the Dream. Your donation will be referenced on your receipt as the Krannert Center Marquee Circle Endowment Fund.

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Supporting Endow the Dream provides for the future. Please also consider a gift to the current season to sustain Krannert Center in the present.

The goal of the With Illinois campaign is to raise $2.25B in gifts to support Illinois students, faculty, research, and infrastructure. With current support of hundreds of thousands of donors from all 50 states and over 100 countries, the With Illinois campaign will continue to elevate the values that make Illinois distinctive: a sense of boundless aspiration, collaborative research, and global perspective. And will continue to honor the people that have shaped the culture and character of this place: students, faculty, staff, and alumni. The world is a better place With Illinois.