The Board of the South Arkansas Arts Center (SAAC) and Laura Allen, Executive Director, are thrilled to announce the Lanatter Fox Theatre Fund. Mrs. Fox’s children Jill Fox Trimble and Keith Fox will match donations up to $50,000 with a goal of raising $100,000 to endow the fund, which will be used to award annual scholarships to local students to fund their participation in Children’s Theatre and to supplement production expenses associated with SAAC’s Little Theatre productions.
Lanatter Fox (1935-2021) was an active member of the South Arkansas Arts Center for many years, having served as the President of the SAAC Little Theatre, Program Chair of the SAAC, and member of the Theatre Division Board of SAAC. She was a teacher for over 30 years, including at Yocum Elementary, where she taught 5th grade. She served as President of the El Dorado Classroom Teachers Association and was a delegate for the National Education Association. She and her husband, Herbert Fox (President of Murphy Oil USA), were passionate about visual and performing arts and education. They lived in El Dorado for many years prior to Herb’s retirement. Herb passed away on August 17, 2017.
According to Jill and Keith, “Lanatter was passionate about her family, career, and the arts. She was most at home in her classroom and at the South Arkansas Arts Center. She spent countless hours raising money, hosting events, and working with the SAAC family. Nothing made her happier than an opening night. We know she’s smiling thinking of the children she is helping and the performances that will continue in her memory.”
“This generous gift from one of the center’s founding families will make the transformative power of theatre available to the next generation of El Dorado’s youth,” said Allen. “By eliminating financial barriers for participation, this fund will allow many more children to learn empathy, creative problem solving, and collaborative thinking.”
The matching funds are for contributions made through December 31, 2021.
The South Arkansas Arts Center is a multidisciplinary community arts center located in El Dorado, Arkansas. The center is home to a robust community theatre, three gallery spaces, and a children’s theatre and arts academy serving the region. For more information on the South Arkansas Arts Center or the Lanatter Fox Theatre Fund, please call the SAAC office at 870-862-5474 or visit the donation page on our website.
