Durham Tech Receives $1.5 Million Gift to Support Arts Programs

Durham Technical Community College has received a $1.5-million gift from the Robert and Mercedes Eichholz Foundation to establish a permanent endowment supporting the arts, college officials announced Wednesday.

The announcement was made during the college’s annual Student Art Exhibition and the 25th anniversary celebration of Viva the Arts, an initiative that promotes arts programming across campus.

The donation, known as the Durham Tech Endowment for the Arts, will fund a range of programming, including public art installations, lectures, exhibitions, and visits by guest artists. The endowment is also intended to provide long-term financial stability for arts education at the college.

“The impact that the Eichholz Foundation will have on the college and the community will be significant,” Durham Tech President J.B. Buxton said in a news release. “This will give artists the space to develop their craft, introduce students to new ideas and media, and help the college engage with the community through the arts.”

Natalie and Dan Dunn, trustees of the foundation, said their decision to support Durham Tech was informed by their relationship with Buxton and their familiarity with the college’s arts programming.

“We immediately were inspired by the incredible work happening here,” Natalie Dunn said. “Over the past few years, we’ve seen firsthand how Durham Tech uses the arts to build community and empower students.”

The foundation has previously supported several arts initiatives at Durham Tech, including a student-led mural project, college-wide creative workshops for staff, exhibitions featuring established artists, and juried student art awards.

“This is not just a gift,” Dunn said. “It is an investment in Durham Tech’s students, in its faculty and staff, and in the community that surrounds it.”

The Robert and Mercedes Eichholz Foundation was established to promote the arts and education. Since 2011, the foundation has awarded more than $40 million in grants to more than 200 organizations, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the National Gallery of Art, and the American Dance Festival.

Durham Tech officials say the new endowment is expected to expand opportunities for creative expression and reinforce the role of the arts in the college’s mission.