The Popejoy Hall Excellence Endowment provides lasting support for the programs and experiences that make Popejoy Hall an essential cultural and educational resource for New Mexico. Endowment earnings expand educational and community programs, help keep performance tickets affordable, maintain the excellence of our historic venue, and strengthen the ability to present world-class performances. Through this support, local students participate in programs such as Broadway Bridges Albuquerque, while Broadway for Teens participants receive meals and other essential resources that make behind-the-scenes learning experiences possible. Every contribution helps ensure that Popejoy Hall continues to inspire audiences, educate students, and enrich the community for generations to come.

Goals of the Popejoy Hall Excellence Endowment

• Educational Services and Outreach: Supports educational and community programs that connect New Mexico students with the performing arts, including initiatives such as Broadway Bridges Albuquerque and Broadway for Teens.

• Affordability and Accessibility: Helps keep performance tickets affordable, ensuring the broadest possible access to the performing arts.

• Operations: Helps address the operational upkeep of the building, keeping the theater pristine and enriching the Popejoy experience for visiting artists and patrons.

• High Artistic Quality: Strengthens the ability to present exceptional performances, from beloved audience favorites to groundbreaking new works that broaden artistic horizons.

$4 million of philanthropic funding will allow us to enhance and expand the impact of the Popejoy Hall Excellence Fund Endowment.

Popejoy Hall’s backstage, built in 1966, has limited area behind the stage, restricting room for larger productions with elaborate sets. Expanding Popejoy Hall’s backstage area allows the venue to attract and support larger productions by meeting space needs.

The expanded backstage area will help to ensure that Popejoy Hall remains the flagship of New Mexico’s performing arts facilities by bringing larger and more complex productions to our audiences at the University of New Mexico.

$4 million of philanthropic funding will realize this transformational new project for Popejoy Hall.

Launched in the spring of 2023, Broadway for Teens embodies a commitment to excellence in the arts and fills a critical gap for students attending Title I public high schools in New Mexico, many of whom have never seen a Broadway show or set foot on a college campus. The education and outreach program has welcomed over 600 Title I high school students from New Mexico’s urban, rural, and tribal communities, contributing to the quality of life, growth, and advancement of New Mexico’s youth.

$1 million of philanthropic funding will allow us to sustain the program for the next five years.

The Popejoy Schooltime Series is the largest performing arts education program in New Mexico, welcoming students from public, private, and homeschools. Students PreK-12 grade experience curriculum-connected performances that enhance learning in language arts, fine arts, social studies, science, and literature. Each season’s productions complement the curriculum established by Albuquerque and Rio Rancho Public Schools, providing innovative ways to bring classroom lessons to life. To ensure every student has the opportunity to participate, the Schooltime Series also offers sensory-friendly performances and livestreams broadcast to schools throughout New Mexico, expanding access beyond the walls of Popejoy Hall.

Since its inception in 1996, the Schooltime Series has welcomed nearly one million New Mexico students to experience live performance on a vibrant college campus. These world-class productions spark imagination, creativity, and curiosity while enriching students’ intellectual, social, and personal development. Continued support allows Popejoy Hall to expand access through initiatives such as sensory-friendly performances, statewide livestreams, and new educational opportunities that connect even more students with the transformative power of the performing arts.

$500,000 in philanthropic funding would allow us to expand this life-enhancing initiative.