"UNTIL THE LION TELLS THE STORY, THE HUNTER GETS THE GLORY." 

-African Proverb

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Friends of Atlanta Black Theater Festival, a 501(c)3 is seeking support for phase 1 of this capital project. We are reaching out to individual supporters to further our mission "to provide opportunities for theatre and performing artists to develop, present, and preserve, in an authentic voice, multi-disciplinary art for and about the pan-African experience."

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Currently, there are only seven brick-and-mortar black-owned and operated theatre facilities in the US. Atlanta is the mecca of Black entertainment with a thriving artistic community springboarded from a history that reflects our stories from across the diaspora to the Civil War to Civil Rights. Our theatre community has struggled but maintained its resiliency in spite of the severe absence of funding from community art foundations and councils.

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This one-of-its-kind venue in Atlanta will be a home for the development and preservation of Black theatre. A sacred space where artists can grow and feel supported when creating their authentic voices. 

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We have plans for a 176-seat theatre space, a spoken word cafe, black box rehearsal, meeting and performance space, two administrative offices, two dressing rooms, a dual-purpose reception/lobby, and 10 artists' residential lofts. 

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Based on current market rates, the total project cost is estimated at $1.7 million for the acquisition and buildout of a warehouse or industrial space. That includes a cash reserve of $100K. Our plan for phase one is to raise $400K, which will provide an attractive 30% LTC equity position for a mortgage loan. Phase two of the plan would be to raise the capital needed for the full payoff of the mortgage for 100% ownership over a ten-year period. To cover the monthly mortgage payment and operating expenses, we plan to sublet the cafe and residential lofts with long-term leases and rent the performance spaces to theatre troupes. 

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Here's your chance to be a part of this vision. You can invest by donating in your name or the memory of a loved one to be engraved based on the below-listed levels of giving. 

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INSTRUCTIONS FOR MAKING YOUR PLEDGED PAYMENT

One-time Payment Option: 

Click on the "one-time" payment and select your giving level. 

Follow the prompts to process your payment. 

Recurring Payment Option: 

Click on your payment option, "monthly" or "quarterly," and enter the amount of your monthly payment in the "Other" giving level box. (For example: If you pledge to give $1000 at $100 per month, enter $100 in the "Other" payment box. 

Follow the prompts to process your payment. 

You will automatically receive email receipts for each subsequent charge, with a special link included for them to manage your recurring plan. Once you have made your total contribution pledged, you can use the emailed link to cancel the monthly payments. 

Thank you so much for investing in the vision and mission for the next generation of griots (storytellers). We must tell our stories!