Ford’s Theatre Society Opens Frances And Craig Lindner Center For Culture And Leadership

Ford’s Theatre has opened the Frances and Craig Lindner Center for Culture and Leadership at Ford's Theatre. The new Center completes the Ford’s Theatre campus with a dedicated space for learning, connection, conversation and civic engagement and will also provide rehearsal and education studios to support its programming and theatrical initiatives. Frances Lindner, Member of the Board of Trustees at Ford’s Theatre and Craig Lindner, Co-CEO of American Financial Group, Inc. have made a $10 million commitment to the Lincoln’s Legacy, Our Legacy: Ford’s Theatre’s Campaign for The Future, making the largest philanthropic, private donation in the institution’s history.

Additional support for the Frances and Craig Lindner Center for Culture and Leadership at Ford’s Theatre was made possible by the generosity of donors who contributed more than $1 million and include: the Marcia and Frank Carlucci Charitable Foundation, the Centene Charitable Foundation, Chevron, the City of the District of Columbia, General Dynamics, the Marlene A. and Frederic V. Malek Family and Rex and Renda Tillerson. Support for the new building at $1 million include an anonymous donor, the Irani Foundation — Dr. Ray Irani and Ghada Raslan Irani, the Merrill Family Foundation, Noémi and Michael Neidorff, Phebe N. Novakovic and Embassy of The State of Qatar.

“Helping Ford’s Theatre engage the next generation of leaders through the lens of President Abraham Lincoln is something we are proud to make possible,” said Frances and Craig Lindner. “At a time when our country is so divided, understanding and appreciating Lincoln’s legacy is more important than ever. President Lincoln was one of the greatest leaders in history. His traits of courage, honesty, compassion and strong sense of justice are ones we can all learn from. The expanded campus will allow Ford’s to create dynamic spaces for learning, connection, conversation and civic engagement.”

Lincoln’s Legacy, Our Legacy: Ford’s Theatre’s Campaign for the Future aims to raise $52 million to transform Ford’s Theatre into a vibrant, visible and accessible destination to explore leadership principles and find new ways to bring Lincoln’s legacy to life for current and future generations. The campaign is designed to deliver a space that will foster the vital voices of artists, patrons, scholars, educators and students.

“Today marks an exciting milestone in the evolution of Ford’s Theatre as we proudly announce the grand opening of the Frances and Craig Lindner Center for Culture and Leadership. This new space will serve as a hub for learning, connection and civic engagement, empowering individuals to reflect on our nation's past and engage in the ongoing work of shaping our future,” said Paul R. Tetreault, Director, Ford’s Theatre Society. “With the generous support of Frances and Craig Lindner and our many dedicated partners, we are expanding our mission to cultivate empathy, spark dialogue and bridge divides in our communities. We are deeply honored to open this new chapter in Ford’s Theatre’s history, ensuring that Lincoln's legacy of leadership and service continues to inspire generations to come.”

“The Frances and Craig Center for Culture and Leadership at Ford’s Theatre not only enriches the cultural landscape of Washington, D.C. but also strengthens our commitment to preserving the legacy of President Lincoln and fostering dialogue that unites our communities. The public and private partnerships that made this possible underscore the power of collaboration and the importance of investing in spaces that promote education, leadership and civic engagement,” said Phil Mendelson, Chairman of the DC City Council. “I look forward to seeing the impact this Center will have for generations to come.”

In February 2012, the Center for Education and Leadership at Ford’s Theatre opened to the public. The Center features two floors of permanent exhibits addressing the immediate aftermath of Lincoln's death and the evolution of Lincoln's legacy and administrative offices. Housed in a building directly across the street from the historic Ford's Theatre and acquired by the Ford's Theatre Society in 2007, this building will share a retail space on the ground floor for visitors. A thriving modern theatre bringing history to life, the Ford’s Theatre Campus welcomes hundreds of thousands of visitors annually and is consistently ranked one of the top destinations in Washington, D.C.