Nina Prommer/Milestone Photo
The Fund Receives $5 Million Donation From The Gerald J. & Dorothy R. Friedman Foundation to Name The Hollywood Arts Collective Residential Building in Honor of Cicely Tyson
The Entertainment Community Fund (formerly The Actors Fund), the national human services organization supporting the needs of those working in performing arts and entertainment, today announced that the two buildings of The Hollywood Arts Collective, a new arts complex in the heart of Hollywood, will be named in celebration of Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony winner Rita Moreno, and in memory of the late acclaimed theater and screen legend Cicely Tyson.
The Hollywood Arts Collective comprises two buildings that together will provide affordable space for performing arts and entertainment professionals to live, work and create; open new opportunities in creative careers for underserved youth in the neighborhood; and host the Western Region Headquarters for the Entertainment Community Fund.
The Rita Moreno Arts Building will be home to the 71-seat Glorya Kaufman Performing Arts Theater; long-time tenant LA Contemporary Exhibitions (LACE); a young filmmakers program targeting underserved, emerging talent in the neighborhood; and the Entertainment Community Fund’s Phil and Monica Rosenthal Family Foundation Training Center. In a statement, Ms. Moreno said, “I am grateful to the Entertainment Community Fund for this recognition. I came to Los Angeles in the 1950s and know first-hand how difficult the struggle can be for emerging artists in this town. I am thrilled to have my name represent a haven and creative safe space and hope it will become a place where our community can thrive artistically and spiritually.”
The Cicely Tyson Residential Building will provide much needed affordable housing for low- and moderate-income people in the entertainment industry. The naming of The Cicely Tyson Residential Building was made possible thanks to a generous $5 million contribution by Jane Friedman on behalf of The Gerald J. & Dorothy R. Friedman Foundation. “I was honored to know and represent Miss Tyson, and naming this beautiful affordable housing residence in her honor brings me full circle,” remarked Jane Friedman. The Friedman Foundation has generously supported the Entertainment Community Fund over the years, including donations to name The Dorothy Ross Friedman Residence (a 30-story apartment building with 178 units of affordable housing in Manhattan), The Samuel J. & Florence T. Friedman Pavilion (a two-story building housing a 20-bed memory care unit as well as seven assisted living rooms, a medical suite, an arts studio, a dining room, bistro and memory care garden at The Actors Fund Home in Englewood, NJ) and The Friedman Health Center for the Performing Arts (offering primary and specialty care in the middle of Times Square, New York). The Tyson Building will provide more than 150 units of affordable housing for those in the performing arts and entertainment industry, with 20 studio units, 70 one-bedroom units, 40 two-bedroom units and 22 three-bedroom units. The Tyson Building’s residents will also have access to three resident gardens, a fitness room and two sound-proof rehearsal studios for resident performers.
“Housing is critical to what we do as an organization and to the lives of those who work in the entertainment space,” said Joseph Benincasa, President and CEO of the Entertainment Community Fund. “A home is more than a place of relaxation. It is where we find inspiration, comfort and a sense of belonging. Both Ms. Moreno and Miss Tyson are legendary, not only for groundbreaking performances, but also for their unwavering dedication to a multitude of humanitarian causes, helping others and contributing to the community of artists and artisans who bring so much to all our lives. We are so proud to have their names adorn The Hollywood Arts Collective buildings.”
“The Hollywood Arts Collective reflects one of our largest and most impactful initiatives to support the Los Angeles entertainment community by providing affordable space for arts and entertainment professionals to live, work and create in the heart of Hollywood,” said Keith McNutt, Executive Director of the Western Region of the Entertainment Community Fund.
Led by Entertainment Community Fund Board Vice Chair Annette Bening, The Hollywood Arts Collective Campaign Committee is comprised of leadership from the organization’s Western Council and key industry leaders including Morgan Freeman, Dakota and Elle Fanning.
“For 140 years, the Entertainment Community Fund has been supporting the entertainment and performing arts community in Los Angeles and around the country,” said Annette Bening. “The Hollywood Arts Collective demonstrates our deep and continued commitment to our colleagues in the Hollywood creative community.”
The Hollywood Arts Collective is a culmination of 12 years of cultural planning and development by the Entertainment Community Fund, the City of Los Angeles Departments of Cultural Affairs, Transportation and Housing, the office of 13th District Councilman Mitch O’Farrell and developers Thomas Safran & Associates.
“We are so proud to partner with the Entertainment Community Fund in this important endeavor to support low income artists and non-profit arts organizations in Hollywood,” said Jordan Pynes, president of Thomas Safran & Associates. “The development of these two buildings that make up The Hollywood Arts Collective will allow artists to successfully live, work, share their creativity, access important services and continue to meaningfully contribute to the Hollywood culture.”
“What was originally proposed as a development with only 50 affordable housing units will now be a project consisting of 151 units of affordable housing for low-income wage earners, focused on individuals and families in the performing arts and entertainment community,” said Los Angeles City Councilmember Mitch O’Farrell, who represents Hollywood. “I knew we could do better than 50 units so I built a coalition to make that happen. Maximizing every opportunity to address the affordable housing crisis is an obligation I take very seriously. I’d like to thank my partners in working with my office in this endeavor: The Entertainment Community Fund, Tom Safran and Associates, and Los Angeles Contemporary Exhibitions, along with City Departments, for bringing this project to fruition.”
The Hollywood Arts Collective, including The Cicely Tyson Residential Building and The Rita Moreno Arts Building, is slated to open in January of 2024 in Los Angeles, CA, with applications being accepted starting in 2023. For more information, please visit entertainmentcommunity.org/HAC.
ABOUT THE ENTERTAINMENT COMMUNITY FUND
Supporting a life in the arts
The Entertainment Community Fund, formerly The Actors Fund, is a national human services organization that addresses the unique needs of people who work in performing arts and entertainment with services focused on health and wellness, career and life, and housing. Since 1882, the Fund has sought to ensure stability, encourage resiliency and be a safety net for those who shape our country’s cultural vibrancy. Learn more at entertainmentcommunity.org.
ABOUT THOMAS SAFRAN & ASSOCIATES
Thomas Safran & Associates is a leading developer of luxury, affordable, mixed-use rental housing in Southern California. The company develops and manages award-winning, high-quality properties and is committed to maintaining its properties to the highest standards while enriching the lives of the people who reside in its buildings. Visit tsahousing.com.