All Classical Radio Receives Largest Grant in Station History: M.J. Murdock Charitable Trust Awards $750,000 to Support New Media Arts Center

PORTLAND, OR – All Classical Radio has received the largest grant in the station's 40-year history – $750,000 from the M.J. Murdock Charitable Trust of Vancouver, Washington, in support of the network’s relocation capital campaign. This pivotal investment from the Murdock Trust will help All Classical Radio build its new headquarters at the historic KOIN Tower in Downtown Portland, which will include five new state-of-the-art production studios, modernized audio/video technology, and an intimate performance hall to gather community.

Construction of the new media arts center is underway, with plans to open in July 2024. This financial support and endorsement from the Murdock Trust comes at a watershed moment for All Classical Radio, and for the city of Portland.

In celebration of the M.J. Murdock Charitable Trust grant, All Classical's Board of Directors is kicking off a matching challenge up to $500,000. Building on this positive momentum, the Board aims to inspire philanthropic individuals, foundations, and corporate sponsors to invest in the station's unparalleled community-focused media center. With the announcement of the Murdock Trust award, in addition to many generous donations from individuals, the station has raised 55% of the funds needed to meet its $10 million capital campaign goal — an astounding accomplishment given the campaign began in May 2023.

“I am extremely grateful to the M.J. Murdock Charitable Trust for this transformational investment," says Suzanne Nance, President and CEO of All Classical Radio. "Success in this capital campaign will enable All Classical Radio to build upon its strong 40-year foundation of service to listeners in our region and beyond. The media arts center will expand opportunities for the entire arts community, and will help revitalize our city. I love this place, and its people — and I know what we can accomplish when we work together. With this gift, the M.J. Murdock Charitable Trust is leading the charge, propelling us forward, and already inspiring additional support."

The M.J. Murdock Charitable Trust grant will partially fund the construction and design of a main broadcast studio ("the Observatory") for daily live radio broadcasts. The new media arts center will also feature three multi-media studios for audio production, and one creative studio ("Studio Bee") dedicated to the International Children's Arts Network (ICANradio.org), youth programs, and mentorships. The custom-built space will increase All Classical Radio’s production capacity, feature top-of-the-line technical equipment, and expand available studio space for station hosts and producers, as well as outside journalists and community partners.

In addition, the one-of-a-kind media arts center at KOIN Tower will include community gathering spaces; a recording studio where local composers and performers can create and share their work; and a performance venue with customizable stage and seating arrangements.

“Our benefactor, Jack Murdock, believed strongly in the power and potential of radio to bring people together, and All Classical Radio has been doing just that for forty years,” says Lorin Schmit Dunlop, Senior Director of Arts, Culture, & Education at the Murdock Trust. “We are thrilled to support their move to a new broadcast studio in the heart of Portland so they can continue to engage and inspire for forty more years, and beyond.”

All Classical Radio advances knowledge of and appreciation for classical music and the arts, while building and sustaining culturally vibrant local and global communities. The upcoming move to the heart of downtown Portland centers All Classical Radio as a cultural hub, and boldly demonstrates the power of the arts to revitalize urban centers, and positively impact society on a broad scale.

All Classical Radio is consistently ranked in the top 3 classical radio stations in the USA. The network is recognized for its bold collaborations and outreach, and for broadcasting 98% locally produced programming, including innovative music playlists, interviews, live broadcasts, and arts and culture specials. Home to the award-winning Recording Inclusivity Initiative and the International Children’s Arts Network, All Classical Radio is one of the first classical stations in the nation to name artists and composers in residence, and to develop robust youth journalism mentorships.

Broadcasting from the heart of the Pacific Northwest, All Classical Radio is an independent and community-funded radio station, providing unparalleled access to classical music, outstanding performances, information about the arts, and more since 1983. Serving nearly 250,000 local households in Oregon and SW Washington, All Classical Radio reaches over a million listeners online in 100 countries around the globe.

The Murdock Trust, created by the will of the late Melvin J. (Jack) Murdock, provides grants to organizations in five states of the Pacific Northwest—Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Oregon and Washington—that seek to strengthen the region’s educational, spiritual and cultural base in creative and sustainable ways. Since its inception in 1975, the Trust has awarded more than 8,300 grants totaling more than $1.3 billion. For more information, find the Murdock Trust on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram and on our website.