Center Celebration 2026 raises over $560,000
9/21/2026 12AM
The Bacon Brothers, led by actor Kevin Bacon and his composer brother Michael, deliver the headline performance during Saturday’s Center Celebration 2026 at the Payne & Mencias Palladium. (photos by Sara C Imagery)
Bacon Brothers headline annual gala fundraiser
CARMEL, Ind. – Headlined by celebrity folk-rockers The Bacon Brothers, a gala evening of music, fine dining and inspiration Saturday generated more than $560,000 to help Allied Solutions Center for the Performing Arts continue providing arts experiences and educational opportunities for the central Indiana community.
The Center Celebration 2026 presented by Ice Miller included a cocktail reception, a multicourse dinner, a live auction of travel and entertainment packages, and two after-parties with live music, all at the landmark Payne & Mencias Palladium concert hall.
Although Allied Solutions Center is best known for its Center Presents concerts by national and international artists, Saturday’s program of speakers and videos highlighted the nonprofit organization’s wide array of free and low-cost offerings for local residents of all ages, including performances, classes and camps for children, free matinees for school groups, arts camps for youth with disabilities, and touring artist Q&As for high school and college students. Programs for adults include a book club, a speaker series and classes in singing, songwriting, ukulele and stand-up comedy.
A guest bids in the live auction during Saturday's gala.
Kicking off the evening in his regular emcee role was musician and preservationist Michael Feinstein, artistic director for Allied Solutions Center and founder of the affiliated Great American Songbook Foundation. Backed by his musical director Tedd Firth on piano, Feinstein warmed up the crowd with the standards “The Best Is Yet to Come” by Cy Coleman and Carolyn Leigh and “L-O-V-E” by Bert Kaempfert and Milt Gabler.
After the dinner and auction, The Bacon Brothers – a six-piece band led by movie star Kevin and his award-winning composer brother Michael – played an engaging set of original songs framed by amusing stories and banter. To close the show, they brought the black-tie guests to their feet with Kenny Loggins’ “Footloose,” the chart-topping theme from Kevin Bacon’s 1984 breakout movie.
“This is a nice theater you got here,” he said between songs. “We don’t usually play in places this nice.”
Proceeds from table reservations, donations, auction bids and sponsorships totaled $561,512, President/CEO Jeffrey C. McDermott announced from the stage.
“We’re incredibly grateful for this community of generous residents, businesses and civic leaders who understand the importance of the arts and continue to support our mission year after year,” McDermott said.
This year’s Gala Steering Committee was co-chaired by David and Annette Greene, serving their second and final year in that capacity, and Carl Butler and Jeff Goens, who will lead the planning for next year’s gala. The Center Celebration 2027 presented by Ice Miller is set for Saturday, Sept. 18, at the Payne & Mencias Palladium. Table reservations are available at this year’s price levels through Oct. 22. More information is available at TheCenterPresents.org/Gala.
In addition to Ice Miller, sponsors of the Center Celebration 2026 included Jet Access, Forvis Mazars Private Client, Shiel Sexton, Studio M Architecture & Planning, Will and Yasmin Stump, Current Publishing, Oberer’s Flowers, Anheuser-Busch, St. Elmo Cocktails and Jaguar Indianapolis, Land Rover Indianapolis, Tom Wood Volvo Cars.
Speaking at the event are this year’s Gala Steering Committee co-chairs (from left), Jeff Goens, Carl Butler and David and Annette Green.
About Allied Solutions Center for the Performing Arts
The mission of Allied Solutions Center for the Performing Arts, celebrating its 15th anniversary in 2026, is to engage and inspire the Indiana community through enriching arts experiences. The nonprofit organization’s campus in Carmel, Indiana, includes the 1,500-seat Payne & Mencias Palladium concert hall, the 500-seat Tarkington proscenium theater and the black-box Studio Theater. Allied Solutions Center presents and hosts hundreds of events each year, including the annual Center Presents performance season, featuring the best in classical music, jazz, pop, rock, country, comedy and other genres. Educational and experiential programming for all ages includes children’s concerts and camps, book clubs, lectures, and classes in music and stand-up comedy. Allied Solutions Center is home to the affiliated Great American Songbook Foundation and provides space and support services for six resident arts companies. More information is available at TheCenterPresents.org.
