Kettering Arts Center:
Renovation and Reinvention
Since 1985, Rosewood Arts Center has offered hands-on-experience in the visual and performing arts. Each year visitors participate in classes, gallery exhibitions, theater performances, studio visits, special events and festivals. No other facility in Southwest Ohio delivers the scope of high quality and diverse arts offerings as Rosewood Art Center. There is no better time to keep the arts alive in our community and region to proactively provide arts programs events and activities that foster a sense of pride for our residents and differentiate Kettering as a creative and innovative city.
In December 2024, the Kettering Parks Foundation culminated their two year Rosewood Reinvention Campaign focused on raising funds for all of the furniture, fixtures and equipment, completion of the interior of the Theater space and exterior landscaping. The Foundation successfully raised $2.1 million in private donations.
Thank you to all of our donors for making the Rosewood Arts Center project a reality and helping our community become a better version of itself. Because we all know, The Arts-it is who we are.
Party For the Parks
Is an annual summer special event sponsored by the Parks Foundation to help raise private funds for various projects and programs that support the Parks, Recreation and Cultural Arts Department. The annual fund raiser includes a dinner; beverage tickets a live auction and tickets to attend a Fraze Concert. Check out the home page for the updated event schedule.
Pickleball Campaign
In order to accommodate the region’s growing enthusiasm for pickleball, the Kettering Parks Foundation, City of Kettering and the Kettering Pickleball Advisory Committee collaborated together to improve and expand the existing pickleball facility located at Kennedy Park on Bigger Road. The campaign raised $244,000 to partially subsidize the completion of upgrades to 6 existing courts and the addition of 6 new courts.
Our sincere Thanks for all who donated and contributed their time to make such a wonderful facility a reality.
Buy A Brick Program
The Kettering Parks Foundation is actively selling bricks to be placed at the Kettering Veteran’s Plaza and Charles F. Kettering History Walk. Bricks come in various sizes and price ranges.
- A 4″x8″ brick sells for $100 and can utilize up to three lines of text (up to 42 characters total).
- An 8″x8″ brick sells for $250 and can utilize up to 6 lines of text (up to 84 characters total).
- A 12″x12″ brick sells for $500 and can utilize up to 8 lines of text (up to 112 characters total).
The buy a brick program is a great way to honor a loved one, support the community and assist in the preservation of the Kettering Veteran’s Plaza and Charles F. Kettering History Walk. To purchase a brick, please call (937) 296-2454 or email kettprca@ketteringoh.org. View and download the brick purchase form and information (PDF).
Feeding our Kettering Kids
Our special Parks Foundation campaign, “Feeding our Kettering Kids,” ran from June 22 – July 19, 2020. The campaign was created in response to the tremendous hardship that COVID-19 created for many of the underserved families in Kettering. The Parks Foundation, in partnership with the Parks, Recreation and Cultural Arts Department and the Kettering Backpack Program, requested donations to help combat food insecurity in our community by supporting the Kettering Backpack Program.
The Kettering Back Pack Program (KBI) is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization with one goal: to fight childhood hunger each week. In Kettering, 40% of school age children qualify for the free or reduced lunch program. KBI discreetly provides at-risk students with a bag of food each Thursday throughout the school year. This food helps sustain the student’s nutritional needs over the weekend.
The total amount raised during our summer 2020 special campaign was $6,001. We are very excited and grateful for your great response to the need to feed Kettering’s kids. Thank you very much to all who donated this summer!
Veteran Memorial Plaza and Charles F. Kettering History Walk
In 2016, the Foundation concluded a 5 year fundraising effort to construct the Veteran Memorial Plaza and Charles F. Kettering History Walk at Delco Park. The Plaza honors the service men and women who served or are serving in our five military branches. The Charles F. Kettering History walks chronicles the tremendous successes of the city’s name sake and outlines his contribution to WWI and WWII war efforts through his work at General Motors and his multiple inventions that supported the military. The Foundation raised a total of $480,000 and after the construction donated the facility to the City of Kettering.
Financial Assistance
The Kettering Park Foundation created a permanent financial assistance fund to support under-served residents in Kettering the ability to participate in any parks, recreation and or cultural arts program regardless of income limitations. The initial goal of $120,000 was achieved in 2013 and through a managed investment plan will continue to grow in value and increase the ability to serve more residents.
Reach For The Sky Campaign
The Reach for the Sky: Financial Assistance Campaign was successfully completed in the winter of 2013, through the attainment of the Foundation’s initial goal of $115,000. All proceeds from the campaign were transferred and invested into a permanent fund that is managed by the Foundation’s investment consultant. With the establishment of this fund, the Foundation has been able to provide $4000-$6000 per year to support financial assistance to individuals in our community who may not be able to afford the cultural, recreational and educational enrichment programs offered by the Kettering Parks Recreation and Cultural Arts Department.