By ROBERT BAXTER
Courier-Post Staff

Landing corporate or foundation support is a challenge, said South Jersey arts leaders. Even harder, they added, is attracting contributions from subscribers and single-ticket buyers who attend their performances.

"Nationally, over 80 percent of philanthropic dollars come from individuals, not corporations or foundations," said Eileen Myers, director of development for the Haddonfield Symphony. Last year, Myers said, individual contributions accounted for only 5 percent of the symphony's income.

Myers is working hard to turn that around. She expects to double or triple individual contributions this year by going after donors through direct-mail appeals and requests for contributions.

The Ritz Theatre in Oaklyn discovered the generosity of their subscribers after they included a check-off box for contributions in the subscription form. Last year, 500 subscribers gave $20,000 to the Ritz.

South Jersey arts groups are making progress in snaring individual contributions but still lag far behind the efforts of North Jersey cultural institutions.

The problem of arts funding will be the focus of Friday's South Jersey Summit on Arts Funding, sponsored by the Courier-Post. It will be held at the Ritz Theatre.

A funding study sponsored by the South Jersey Cultural Alliance and the New Jersey State Council on the Arts shows that 96 percent of all individual contributions to the arts go to cultural institutions based in North Jersey. In 1998, South Jersey groups received $496,059 in contributions, compared to $12.4 million for North Jersey institutions.

That disparity takes on even greater significance placed in the context of a study by The Chronicle of Philanthropy that ranks New Jersey last in individual contributions.

The Chronicle recently analyzed tax returns of individuals making more than $200,000 a year. The wealthiest New Jerseyans contributed only 2.4 percent of their income to philanthropy, far below the national average of 3.5 percent.

Some South Jerseyans do make large gifts.

George P. Luciano Sr. of Vineland gave $1.5 million to build a 600-seat theater and fund scholarships at Cumberland County College. The George P. Luciano Sr. Theatre is part of the college's performing arts center.

"I love the arts, music and all cultural activities," explained Luciano, who owns recycling plants in Vineland and Millville. "I'm an orphan, a poor boy from the streets who tries to help all the poor boys who don't want to stay on the streets."

Luciano has a passion for opera. Each year, he sponsors an opera gala in the center's theater that raises money for Cumberland County College's scholarship fund.

That idea is echoed by contributors to the Haddonfield Symphony. Dr. Herbert Allen and his wife, Laraine, of Cherry Hill, and Vicki and Barry Hills of West Deptford, rank in the symphony's Conductor's Circle of donors who provide $2,000 and up each year.

"One of our concerns here at the symphony has been the lack of individual support," noted Allen, who serves on the symphony's board of directors. "That's a difficult bridge to cross."

A dermatologist, Allen graduated from the Juilliard School of Music before turning to medicine. He joined the Haddonfield Symphony's board 15 years ago and has become an enthusiastic supporter.

"The Haddonfield Symphony is one of those institutions that makes life a lot better here in South Jersey," Allen said.

The Hills echoed Allen's sentiments.

"When I attended my first outreach program with the symphony, I was amazed. I was energized and felt great with what I saw happening," said Vicki Hills, relationship manager for First Union's Charitable Services Group.

Hills got involved with the Haddonfield Symphony through a program sponsored by the Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce that encourages corporate executives to support nonprofit groups. After attending the symphony's board meetings, she decided to volunteer. Her husband also became an enthusiastic supporter.

Vicki Hills serves as the symphony's house manager. She supervises a team of more than 30 ushers for subscription concerts and children's programs.

The Hills contributed $1,000 to the Haddonfield Symphony last year. That amount was doubled by Barry's employer, Exxon Mobil.

"Barry and I are blessed and fortunate," said Vicki Hills. "This is an opportunity for us to give back to the community.

"Supporting the Haddonfield Symphony gives us a good feeling. We're helping a wonderful institution right in our own back yard."