March 21, 2010 | Read Time: 2 minutes
Organization: Belcourt Theatre
Job held by: Haylee Waddey Hall
Why the job was created: To combine a vacant marketing director job with the organization’s first-ever job solely devoted to fund raising. The Belcourt, an 85-year-old Nashville theater that once housed country music’s Grand Ole Opry, has been a nonprofit art-house cinema for the past decade and has much in common with other nonprofit theaters, says Stephanie Silverman, its managing director: “We’re all pretty good at selling tickets, and we’re all a little behind the times in terms of raising philanthropic dollars.” And, she says, “most of us are in older, historic buildings—surprise, surprise—and so we know that in our future, there’s going to be some capital required. And we needed to get poised and ready to do that fund raising.”
Why Ms. Hall was hired: She has “walked that fund raising/promotional line” in previous jobs, is a longtime resident of Nashville who volunteers for many charities, and understands the Belcourt’s place in the local cultural scene, says Ms. Silverman.
How the organization was able to create the role in tough times: Although many arts groups have struggled in the economic crisis, the Belcourt, with its $1-million budget, has thrived, says Ms. Silverman, by offering classic, international, and documentary films. Last year, she notes, “was a good year to sell $8 tickets.”
Duties: Ms. Hall will be charged with spearheading the Belcourt’s efforts to seek big gifts and corporate support and to make more of the theater’s assets, including a membership organization that has proved to be a fertile source of small donations.
Background of the new director: Ms. Hall, 41, most recently served as director of development and outreach at the Nashville affiliate of Susan G. Komen for the Cure, where she served from 2008 to 2009. She also worked as director of special events at the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation and held corporate-marketing roles. She earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
