On Sept. 15, the Fountain Plaza at Lincoln Center was renamed the Josie Robertson Plaza in honor of the esteemed wife of philanthropist and financier Julian Robertson. The dedication recognized the magnitude of the $25 million gift, the single largest contribution ever given by an individual to the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts. A portion of the gift will be used to create the Josie Robertson Fund for Lincoln Center, in support of the many artistic programs presented by the New York landmark, including "Great Performances," "Mostly Mozart," and "Midsummer Night Swing." The balance of the gift will be shared among all Lincoln Center constituents, helping ensure the financial stability of existing constituent programs well into the new millennium, as well as providing support for new program initiatives.
Mrs. Robertson, a San Antonio native, currently serves as a Vice President of the Women's Committee of the Central Park Conservancy. Julian Robertson, originally from North Carolina, is the Chairman and CEO of Tiger Management, L.L.C., and former director of Kidder Peabody & Co.
The image of the newly named Josie Robertson Plaza, is emblematic of Lincoln Center. Audiences will recognize it from the opening montage of "Live from Lincoln Center," seen annually by nearly 50 million television viewers across the nation. An additional 5-6 million people cross the Plaza each year on their way to live arts performances, as well as becoming a gathering space for hundreds of thousands of New Yorkers and visitors who attend the numerous outdoor events at Lincoln Center.