4 Years Later: Suffolk Center for Cultural Arts
At Intentional Charity, we revisit our projects after they’re complete. Capital campaigns are marathons — and the finish line is only the beginning of the story.
This weekend, our founder and principal philanthropic consultant Jessica K. Drake, M.A., CFRE returned to the Suffolk Center for Cultural Arts, 4 years after the capital campaign kickoff. The Case for Support promised to “preserve a home for the arts” and protect “life in these walls” for the next generation.
The evidence shows that promise delivered:
• Building envelope restored
• Water intrusion resolved
• Lighting, seating, and climate control upgraded
• Membership and attendance up
• Expanded education and outreach
• 1,300+ new attendees in 2024-2025
But the most beautiful outcome was not explicitly in the Case.
Community theater returned.
On Sunday, Jessica, her mother, daughter, and 2 nieces watched Cinderella Enchanted performed by Suffolk’s own Community Theater — the first local production on the Birdsong Theater stage in 15 years. A restored building made space for restored community.
Thank you Coastal Virginia Developers (owner Daniel Palkovic Sr.), Birdsong Peanuts, and TowneBank for helping bring community theater home. So proud of the work the board and staff did 4 years ago to make this possible and of their perseverance to grow the arts in YesSuffolk Economic Development (Virginia), especially the #volunteer chairs of the board--- David Love and Jolene Neighbors. Much applause is due past executive director Lorelei Costa Morrow and current leader Tom Yannuzzi, Ph.D.
