Who was Irving S. Gilmore?

Irving Gilmore, smiling. The WMU School of Music is named for Irving S. Gilmore, who found his greatest joy in the arts, for which he showed unwavering support. He helped gifted individuals express their unique talents and encouraged others to support the creative expressions of the human spirit. He knew that cultural and performing arts needed support to grow.

A uniquely multifaceted individual, Mr. Gilmore was a merchant, an arts patron, a concert-quality pianist, a business leader, and a military veteran. Born in 1900, he was a modest man who gave generously and quietly to the Kalamazoo community. He shunned the spotlight, preferring to show his concern through frequent—and often anonymous—gifts that addressed a wide range of needs.

In 1972, Mr. Gilmore established the Irving S. Gilmore Foundation. He decided the Foundation would receive the bulk of his estate upon his death. Mr. Gilmore passed away in 1986 at the age of 85, leaving Kalamazoo a wonderful legacy. The Irving S. Gilmore Foundation has been enormously generous to Western Michigan University, granting over $30 million since the mid-1980s.

Past grants to the College of Fine Arts from The Irving S. Gilmore Foundation include:

  • $2 million to help fund the Irving S. Gilmore Theatre Complex.
  • $4 million to create the Irving S. Gilmore Fine Arts Equipment Endowment, which benefits every one of our students.
  • $2 million in 2020 to support our new Virtual Imaging Technology Lab initiative and the signature dance studio located atop Dunbar Hall.
  • $3.5 million in 2022 to create the Center for Advancing Arts Research (CFAAR), a world-class laboratory and venue for cutting-edge immersive experiences.