Legacy Giving
Leave a Legacy of Music, Beauty, and Community
For more than 80 years, the Santa Monica Symphony has brought free, high-quality orchestral music to our community. Generations of audience members, musicians, families, students, and neighbors have experienced the power of live music because people before them believed this orchestra was worth sustaining.
A legacy gift is a meaningful way to ensure that the Santa Monica Symphony continues to thrive for generations to come.
By including SMS in your estate plans, you help preserve free access to live orchestral music, support artistic excellence, and strengthen a cultural institution that brings people together across ages, backgrounds, and life experiences.
Why Legacy Giving Matters
Legacy gifts help provide long-term stability for the Santa Monica Symphony. They allow us to plan boldly, serve more people, and remain true to one of our deepest commitments: keeping orchestral music accessible to all.
Your legacy gift can help SMS:
- Keep concerts free and welcoming to the public
- Support outstanding musicians and artistic leadership
- Bring music to children, families, older adults, and community partners
- Expand educational and community programs
- Preserve a beloved Santa Monica institution for future generations
When you make a legacy gift, you are not only supporting concerts. You are investing in beauty, belonging, civic connection, and the shared cultural life of our community.
Ways to Make a Legacy Gift
There are several simple ways to include the Santa Monica Symphony in your long-term giving plans.
Include SMS in Your Will or Trust
One of the most common ways to make a legacy gift is by including the Santa Monica Symphony in your will or living trust. You may choose to leave a specific dollar amount, a percentage of your estate, or the remainder after other commitments have been fulfilled.
Sample language to discuss with your attorney:
“I give to the Santa Monica Symphony, a nonprofit organization located in Santa Monica, California, the sum of $____, or ____% of my estate, to be used for its general charitable purposes.”
Name SMS as a Beneficiary
You may also name the Santa Monica Symphony as a beneficiary of a retirement account, life insurance policy, donor-advised fund, bank account, or investment account. This type of gift is often simple to arrange and can usually be updated directly through your financial institution
Make a Gift in Honor or Memory of Someone
A legacy gift can be a beautiful way to honor a loved one, celebrate a family tradition, or recognize someone whose life has been enriched by music.
Your Gift,
Your Values
Legacy giving is deeply personal. Some donors choose to support the Symphony because they love orchestral music. Others give because they believe the arts should be accessible to everyone. Some want to ensure that children and families can experience live music. Others want to preserve a civic gathering place that brings people together in an increasingly disconnected world.
Whatever your reason, your gift becomes part of a lasting story: a community where music remains free, vibrant, and shared.
The Santa Monica Symphony Legacy Circle
Donors who include the Santa Monica Symphony in their estate plans are invited to join the Santa Monica Symphony Legacy Circle.
Legacy Circle members may be recognized in Symphony materials, invited to special events, and acknowledged as part of a dedicated group of supporters helping secure the future of SMS. If you prefer to remain anonymous, we will honor that wish.
Most importantly, letting us know about your plans gives us the opportunity to thank you during your lifetime and understand the values that inspired your gift.
Already Included SMS in
Your Estate Plans?
Thank you. We would be honored to know about your intentions so we can recognize your generosity appropriately and ensure your wishes are understood.
Sharing your plans with us is not legally binding and does not limit your ability to update your estate plans in the future. It simply allows us to thank you and include you, if you wish, in the Legacy Circle.
Start a Conversation
You do not need to have everything figured out before contacting us. We would be glad to have a confidential conversation about your hopes for the future of the Santa Monica Symphony and how a legacy gift might reflect your values.
To learn more about legacy giving, please contact:
Executive Director, Santa Monica Symphony
info@smsymphony.org
(310) 395-6330
The Santa Monica Symphony does not provide legal, tax, or financial advice. We encourage you to speak with your attorney, financial advisor, or tax professional as you consider any planned gift.
