Tabor Opera House Preservation Foundation, Inc.

A nonprofit organization

$48,056 raised by 164 donors

Biggest Fundrasing Effort Yet

Help us raise $250,000 to meet our 2023 overall fundraising goal! We are aiming to continue operational needs and match grants and historic tax credits so we can finish the exterior of the rehab project of the Tabor Opera House.  We are already 54% of the way toward our goal. Help us cross the finish line! 

Fundraising progress and significant donations

Two local donors have agreed to $35,000 matches, giving us a $70,000 in a 2023 challange match to boost us towards our goal! Help us leverage a $70,000 challange match by year end to reach our fundrasing needs and goals in 2023. 

Where does the money go?

The Tabor Opera House has been deemed a National Treasure by the National Trust for Historic Preservation. It is the cornerstone of Leadville and a prominent piece of the National Historic Landmark District on Harrison Avenue. It has not been remodeled since 1902 and is in dire need of upgrades and repairs.  We are raising funds to complete the exterior renovation in 2024 and continue operations for a full season of programming, tours, and the ability for the public to experience the Tabor. 

Reasons to support the Tabor

A Showcase Of The Past, A Stage For The Future

The Tabor is more than just a building! It’s a cultural hub for the High Rockies that brings theater, music, comedy, youth programming, and a community space. By supporting the Tabor, you are saving a national treasure and bringing performing arts to rural Colorado! 

  • National Treasure / Cornerstone of Leadville Mainstreet
  • Full Season of programming with Lyric Theatre of Leadville, including theater, musical performance, comedy, and film festivals
  • Tabor Youth Collective summer workshop Series and programming 
  • Many community events with other Leadville organizations

2023 Accomplishments:

  • Completed year four of a major exterior building rehabilitation, strengthening the north facade.
  • Restored the north wall ghost signs, the original ads painted on the outside corner of the north side.
  • Welcomed over 1,600 guests who toured and experienced the magic of the Tabor.
  • Partnered with Lyric Theatre of Leadville to bring diverse world-class programming to the Tabor stage. 
  • Brought back the Tabor Youth Collective for a two-week immersive camp program, where participants gave a well-attended free performance on the Tabor stage. 
  • Hosted events in partnership with other local organizations at alternative venues to grow the Tabor’s brand outside of the Tabor walls and supported partner organizations in Lake County. 
  • Completed a three-year business plan with Theater Projects and adopted a refreshed three-year strategic plan to chart the next three years of work and focus. 

2024 Goals:

In 2024, the Tabor Opera House Preservation Foundation aspires to keep meeting important priorities:

  • Finish exterior renovations to the building’s west elevation (storefront windows, balcony, and upper cornice work). 
  • Care for and share the Tabor’s one-of-a-kind historic stage scenery collection.
  • Provide diverse live entertainment in partnership with Lyric Theatre to grow our audience with 8-11 shows. 
  • Grow the Tabor Youth Collective’s free theater workshop series for students in 7th-12th grades in the summer of 2024.
  • Offer arts and local jobs to community members and expanding the Tabor’s capacity.  

How Your Donation Can Help:

  • Save this national treasure.
  • Preserve our historic stage scenery.
  • Offer diverse and inclusive programming.
  • Support Leadville's economy.
  • Build upon momentum to create a live arts and culture hub in Leadville; it truly is a "Tabor of Love"!


Mission

Revitalize Leadville's Historic Tabor Opera House

Background Statement

The Tabor Opera House was built in Leadville in 1879 by famous silver mining tycoon Horace Tabor and was considered one of the finest opera houses in the West. Over a century later, it gained different notoriety. After years of deferred maintenance, as it transitioned among private owners, it was named an Endangered Place by Colorado Preservation Inc.

To save the Tabor and enable a vision of turning it into a hub for arts and culture, the City of Leadville purchased it in late 2016 with the aid of the Tabor Opera House Preservation Foundation and other partners. It remains in urgent need of significant rehabilitation. There is good news, and you can help bring about more!

The Foundation and City have launched the first significant building rehabilitation in Tabor's 140+ years. The four most badly damaged exterior walls were stabilized under Phase 1, which finished in the fall of 2023. In 2022 and 2023, both the south and north wall ghost signs were historically restored. To accomplish this tremendous and necessary work, we leveraged tax credits along with many grants to kick off this essential rehabilitation, with private donors also meeting critical funding needs for operations and projects. The Foundation leads the restoration and operates the building under the City's lease and operating agreement.

Equally exciting, the Foundation and City presented the second summer season of programming after a two-year Covid -hiatus. For our 2023 programming, we partnered with Lyric Theatre of Leadville, as our programming under the artistic direction of Scott Carroll. Visitors enjoyed live theater, music, comedy, cowboy poetry, and much more. ... We also opened the entire building for tours for our 7th summer.

We continue planning how to preserve and share the treasure discovered in our attic in 2020, the most significant collection of historic stage scenery in North America.

The Foundation and the City are slowly and steadily progressing toward our mission to revitalize the Tabor Opera House and create a hub for culture and the arts in historic Leadville, Colorado. You can help!

Organization Data

Summary

Organization name

Tabor Opera House Preservation Foundation, Inc.

other names

TOHPF

Year Established

2003

Tax id (EIN)

06-1714846

Category

Arts, Culture & Humanities

Organization Size

Medium Organization

Address

308 Harrison Ave
Leadville, CO 80461

Mailing

P.O. Box 1004
Leadville, CO 80461

Service areas

Lake County, CO, US

Chaffee County, CO, US

Summit County, CO, US

Leadville, CO, US, 80461

Eagle County, CO, US

Phone

719-486-8409

Social Media