On March 17th, ACG faculty, staff and guests celebrated the naming of the Frances Rich School of Fine & Performing Arts in honor of the American sculptor and actress Frances Rich (1910-2007), who donated much of her own artwork to ACG, as well as her collection of pieces by other artists and a significant gift to establish an endowment fund in support of the Rich School of Art.

On hand were a Laptop orchestra with five members and close to 300 guests who also enjoyed a group art exhibit with works by seventeen artists, curated especially for the event by DEREE Instructor Dr Sotirios Bahtsetzis.

As part of the opening of the SelfConscious art exhibit, a group of students worked with Effi Minakoulis and Tim Ward “to play some improvised sound art in the gallery during the evening, creating the laptop orchestra, something that we have wanted to form at DEREE for some time,” Ward told Touch Base. In fact, this performance was the inaugural appearance of a group that we hope to expand and grow into something more regular within music activities at DEREE,” he says.

Artists included Maria Kriara, Elias Kafouros, and Dionisis Christofilogiannis among others, while Mr. Dimitris Daskalopoulos, Collector | D.Daskalopoulos Collection and Founder | NEON Organization extended a greeting, among others.

Effie Halivopoulou, DEREE’s Head of the Visual Arts Department, found the “wonderful space and installation both educational and very pleasant to walk through,” adding, “This is one of a very few university galleries in town.”

“It was essential that the ACG gallery was introduced as a contemporary art gallery, that serves both the Frances Rich School of Fine and Performing Arts students and their educational requirements, while meeting their expectations as well as the art scene of Athens and beyond, Georgia Kotretsos, DEREE Visual Arts Instructor, Sculptor, writer told Touch Base.

The American College of Greece received the largest gift in its 137-year history from the Frances Rich Estate in 2012 to support ACG’s Fine and Performing Arts programs. The Frances L. Rich Endowed Fund will support all aspects of the Frances Rich School of Fine and Performing Arts.

ACG is deeply grateful to Frances Rich for her commitment to the future of ACG and to the arts. Sholarship recipients spoke to Touch Base about what the aid has meant for them.

“As a recipient of the Frances L. Rich scholarship, I am very grateful and honored, and it is inspiring and motivating to be given support by a foundation which promotes and invests in the arts,” says Andriana Georgitsis, Frances L. Rich Theater Arts Scholarship recipient, President of the Theatre Arts Society, and a Student Assistant at the Theatre Arts Department.

Frances L. Rich Visual Arts Scholarship recipient Eva Kyriakopoulou notes that the award was not only a “great assistance” for her to continue her studies, “but it reassured” her that the institution “is aware of and rewards hard work.” Eleni Chamou, also a scholarship recipient tells Touch Base: “Education is a progressive discovery, especially Art Education. Thanks to the Frances L. Rich Scholarship, I have the opportunity to continue exploring the World of Art.”

For additional information on the Frances Rich School of Fine & Performing Arts, please call 210 6009800 ext. 1456, or email [email protected]

To learn about ways to support ACG, to create your own scholarship fund or to contribute to existing funds please contact the Office of Development & Alumni Relations: Mary-Irene Triantafillou, Executive Director, ACG Office of Development – t. 210.600.9800, ext.: 1239, [email protected], http://www.acg.edu/giving