The Art of Philanthropy
TACA honors exceptional Dallas arts patrons at Silver Cup Awards
Event chairmen Carol and Don Glendenning welcomed fellow arts supporters to the 36th annual TACA Silver Cup Awards luncheon at the Hilton Anatole. Last year’s honorees, Peggy Sewell and Roger Nanney, presented the 2014 awards to deserving recipients Holly Mayer and Lucilo Peña, who were recognized for their outstanding contributions to the performing arts in Dallas.
Mayer, the executive director and president of the Productive Rehabilitation Institute of Dallas for Ergonomics (PRIDE), has been a generous supporter of performing arts and cultural organizations such as Dallas Opera, Dallas Theater Center, Dallas Symphony Orchestra and Dallas Arboretum.
“I volunteer because I believe the arts can make our lives richer and deeper than they would be otherwise,” she said. “I’m especially excited about the collaborative spirit alive in our city and encouraged by TACA. This new spirit invites us all to reach across the gaps that might divide us and to build new partnerships. Every investment we make today leaves a legacy for generations to come.”
Peña, an architect and president of the Billingsley Company, has been a presence in the North Texas arts community for a number of years. He sits on the Dallas Museum of Art board of trustees and currently serves as chair of the building committee. He is a founding member and vice chair for the Nasher Sculpture Center program advisory committee and a board member of the AT&T Performing Arts Center.
“So, why do the arts matter?” asked Pena. “When we look back at any civilization, it’s the art that tells us who the people were and what they valued. Our arts today will tell future generations who we were.
“In Dallas, we’ve now built world-class facilities that have captured the attention of the art world. I’m proud to say that I live, work and play in the Arts District. It’s my home. Surely these iconic structures and our commitment to the arts that they represent will be appreciated long after we’re gone.”
Among the civic and corporate leaders, volunteers, staff, and supporters in attendance were Nancy Carlson, Jennifer and John Eagle, Elaine Agather, Tincy Miller, Caroline Rose Hunt, Lee Cullum, Deedie Rose, Diane and Hal Brierley, Lee Cobb, and Pete Chilian.