"The work of Charles Burchfield is most decidedly founded, not on art, but on life, and the life that he knows and loves best." -Edward Hopper

The benefits of leaving a legacy

Along with supporting the art and artists of Western New York, the Burchfield Penney Art Center’s mission is to celebrate the life and work of Charles Burchfield. His legacy is what drives us to do what we do.

We hope you will consider making the Center a part of your legacy, as well. Please consider becoming a member of the Burchfield Legacy Society by making a planned gift to ensure the future of Western New York art and artists.

As a member of the Burchfield Legacy Society, you will receive special recognition of your support, including:

• An invitation to the Burchfield Legacy Society Annual Event.
• Exclusive invitations to other donor events throughout the year.
• A specially designed pin of recognition, featuring Burchfield’s monogram.
• Thanks to our affiliation with Buffalo State College, you will also become a member of their planned giving society, the Peterson Society, as well.

There are multiple ways to leave a lasting impact on the future of the Burchfield Penney through a planned gift. These include:

• Bequest – the simplest way to give. Just a few sentences in your will or trust are all that’s needed. 
  
  Sample bequest language: “I, [name], of [city, state, zip], give, devise, and bequeath to the Burchfield Penney Art Center [written amount or percentage of the estate or description of property] for its [unrestricted or restricted] use and purpose.”
  
  The Burchfield Penney Art Center Tax ID is 16-1596245.
  
  
• Life Insurance Policy – you can redirect an existing policy or purchase a new policy with The Burchfield Penney Art Center as the beneficiary.
• Retirement Plan Assets – many individuals are now choosing to allocate a portion of their retirement funds/401K accounts as planned gifts. A simple form or document can be completed with the guidance of your attorney or financial planner.
• Charitable Remainder Trust – creation of this trust provides you with annual income for the remainder of your life, after which the balance would go to the Burchfield Penney Art Center.

There are countless income and tax benefits related to each method. We recommend that you discuss with your attorney or financial planner what the best option is for you.

To learn more about the Burchfield Legacy Society, please contact Jennifer Merlette, Director of Development, at 716-878-3739 or merletjl@buffalostate.edu

If you have already included the Burchfield Penney as a part of your estate planning, we thank you for your generous gift. Please contact us so that we may properly recognize you.