Friends of Mondavi Center

The Friends Events Committee organizes several events throughout the year. These include an annual Brunch & Browse event in late October where holiday gifts and décor are on sale at the Mondavi Center Gift Shop.  Friends staff the Gift Shop where all profits from gift sales go to support Mondavi Center Arts Education programs.

Friends also plan and host several events throughout the year including the Kick-Off the Season Reception, Holiday Luncheon and Garden Party where funds are raised to support the School Matinee Ticket Program.

The Membership Committee fosters stewardship and mentoring for new members with a variety of activities throughout the year. These can include a welcome coffee in the Fall, an evening Tapas and Studio Jazz, behind-the-scenes tour of the Mondavi Center, luncheon for new members, and a wine and cheese social.

Friends also provide tours on a drop-in basis during the annual UC Davis Picnic Day festivities.

PRE-MATINEE CLASSROOM TALKS

Docents travel to area schools to present Pre-matinee Classroom Talks for selected Mondavi Center School Matinees. A week or two before the matinee, students receive a thirty-minute classroom talk from a docent who provides cultural, biographical and historical information about the performers and art form of the matinee that they will be seeing.  Information about how to schedule a talk is sent to teachers who purchase tickets for these matinees. During the 2010-11 season, 17 docents traveled 1,756 miles to Nevada City, Loomis, Folsom, Sacramento, Suisun City, Woodland, Esparto, Winters, Davis, Vacaville, Vallejo and Napa. They presented 63 talks to over 1,400 students.

DOCENT GUIDES

Docent guide writers research information and write guides for the docents to use in the preparation of the Pre-matinee Classroom Talks. The information that they gather heightens the matinee experience for hundreds of children each year. 

SCHOOL MATINEE USHERS

Ushers are present at every school matinee performance. They greet and help the students and teachers to their seats and provide general assistance. Our ushers take great pleasure in welcoming young audiences to the Mondavi Center.

AUDIENCE ENRICHMENT

This committee focuses on communication with the adult community.  Their goal is to provide community outreach so more people are aware of the vast array of performance arts and educational activities that occur at the Mondavi Center each season.

SCHOOL MATINEE TICKET PROGRAM

A primary focus of the School Outreach Committee is to administer funds raised at Friends Events for the School Matinee Ticket Program. Annually, the committee selects a school district and specified school programs to receive tickets to a Mondavi Center school matinee. Many of these students may not otherwise have an opportunity to attend a performance at the Mondavi Center. These schools are chosen based on an application process that ensures the principals’ support.

ARTIST SUPPORT

A sub-committee of School Outreach provides transportation for visiting artists who give master classes, recitals and dance workshops at schools in the region.

AREA SCHOOL VISITATION

Friends participating on the School Outreach Committee visit schools to establish relationships with them and deliver informational materials on Mondavi Center Arts Education programs such as school matinees, Pre-Matinee Classroom Talks and Mondavi Center Tours.

AUDIENCE ENRICHMENT

The Audience Enrichment Committee focuses on communication with the adult community. The goal is to provide community outreach so that more people are aware of the vast array of performance arts that occur at the Mondavi Center each season.  In addition, the committee wants to make community members aware of the educational activities that are held within the framework of the Mondavi Center and presented by the Friends of Mondavi Center. 

Audience Enrichment organizes the Spotlight Series, which features speakers on the performing arts in a social setting where extended discussion can be a part of the evening.

PROGRAM SUPPORT

The Friends Events Committee organizes several events throughout the year that support the Mondavi Center Arts Education programs. These include an annual Brunch & Browse event in late October where holiday gifts and décor are on sale at theMondavi Center Gift Shop.  Friends staff the Gift Shop, where all profits from gift sales go to support Mondavi Center Arts Education.

Friends also plan and host several events throughout the year, including the Kick-Off the Season Reception, Holiday Luncheon and Garden Party where funds are raised to support the School Matinee Ticket Program

TOURS

Friends of Mondavi Center docents offer one-hour walking tours of the Mondavi Center at no charge; advance reservations are required. Tour groups enjoy views from special sections of the lobby, Jackson Hall and the Vanderhoef Studio Theatre while the docents talk about the history of the facility, the materials used in its construction, the donors who supported construction, ongoing programs and acoustical enhancements in the center.  All of these elements combine to contribute to the reputation for excellence that the center has enjoyed. Call (530) 754-5399 or email mctours@ucdavis.edu to reserve a tour.

GIFT SHOP

Managed and staffed by Friends of Mondavi Center, the Gift Shop is the hub of the Yocha Dehe Grand Lobby.  In addition to being a friendly gathering place, the Gift Shop is the perfect place to find a gift for a special occasion or a personal indulgence. Come and discover new merchandise purchased by Friends.  All profits from the Gift Shop help support the Mondavi Center Arts Education programs. You will be helping Friends, committed arts patrons, fulfill their goal of raising funds to support the Mondavi Center’s Arts Education programs.  

OTHER SUPPORT

Friends committees provide behind-the-scenes support to Mondavi Center, including the Audience Enrichment committee that works with the Mondavi Center public relations coordinator to assist with local media contacts and provides photographers for various Mondavi Center Arts Education events.  The Ad Hoc Committee members provide assistance with Arts Education activities such as artists’ master classes, Young Artist Competition and the Globe Education Academy for Teachers.