Distinguished philanthropist Glorya Kaufman passed away on Tuesday, August 5, 2025 at age 95.
“Glorya Kaufman was the first major philanthropist to embrace the ambition of The Hollywood Arts Collective (HAC) in 2017. Her support of the 71-seat community theater, now named The Glorya Kaufman Performing Arts Theater in The Rita Moreno Arts Building of HAC, gave the entire project the momentum and gravitas that would carry it through nearly 10 years of development challenges on Hollywood Boulevard. And then she turned that into a commitment—The Glorya Kaufman Vision Fund—that will allow the Fund to build five more affordable housing projects for artists in LA County over the next ten years, while also using commercial spaces in those buildings to host arts-based services for residents and surrounding communities. She was an artist, a visionary, a mentor and a daring and demanding builder who found her voice in philanthropy. With it, Glorya led from the heart pursuing an oft-repeated mantra: ‘I just want to make people happy.’ Now she can rest knowing her work and legacy will do just that for generations to come,” said Keith McNutt, Executive Director of the Western Region.
Annette Bening, Chair of the Board, shared, “Glorya Kaufman was celebrated with the Fund’s Medal of Honor in 2023 for helping establish The Hollywood Arts Collective; the theater named in her honor there will be a reminder of her leadership. We mourn her passing and thank her for making a difference in the lives of the community we serve.”