Open Road series ends, marking $184k in local grantmaking impact

After 29 shows across eight years, the Open Road concert series hosted its final show last fall on October 12 against a West Texas sunset featuring Jomo & The Possum Posse in the courtyard of The Grace Museum. 

Open Road, a live concert series with performances on the rooftop of the historical Grace Museum, was founded by friends of the Foundation, Taylor Sturgis and Sam Vinson. The concert series was known for its sold-out shows and its grantmaking impact throughout the years. 

Since its start in 2017, proceeds from Open Road have benefited the Community Foundation of Abilene — for the purpose of granting money to downtown initiatives — and Future Fund, an endowment fund of the Community Foundation that provides funding to local organizations serving children and youth.

The success of Open Road is attributed to longtime support from season ticketholders and sponsors, Foundation board and staff, The Grace Museum and staff, and many others. Though the series ending is bittersweet, we celebrate the concerts’ meaningful impact on local organizations. 

Grants from Open Road have benefited: 

• Abilene Heritage Square – video and sound recording studio for community use
• Hendrick Medical Center Foundation – purchase and installation of NICU cameras
• The Grace Museum – SPARK Children’s Museum

Open Road awarded its final grant, $50k, to Abilene Youth Sports Authority to support the Recreational Outdoor Complex, or “The ROC,” last month. This initiative will feature new outdoor grass and turf fields, and an indoor complex scheduled to be completed this fall. 

With this latest grant, Open Road will have awarded more than $184k to children and youth causes – all from ticket and sponsorship proceeds. 

To learn more about Open Road’s history, visit openroadabilene.com.