This initiative, rooted in legacy, vision, and deep community listening, is being catalyzed by the William Lyster May Foundation, an operating private foundation transforming its 28-year legacy into a cultural engine for Chester County. Founded by Richard, Julie, and Angeline May, the Foundation was established in memory of their son and brother, William Lyster May—a creative spirit whose life was tragically cut short in a car accident in 1997.

Driven by a passion for community, creativity, and cultural equity, Richard May brings decades of experience building transformative public-private partnerships in West Chester. As the founder of West Chester Library Labor & Capital LLC, Richard has led financing efforts for major cultural infrastructure projects. Richard and Angeline were also two of the founding members of the Uptown Knauer Performing Arts Center, a $5 million historic rehabilitation that turned a National Guard Armory into a thriving performance venue. These milestones form the foundation for a new, countywide initiative: The Hub for Arts and Culture.

In the early days of the pandemic, Richard and his daughter Angeline began holding strategy sessions with local arts and culture leaders in Coatesville and Kennett Square. What began as small think tanks quickly grew into a larger movement. Over the past three years, they’ve facilitated community-wide focus groups, one-on-one interviews, and convenings with nearly every major arts, theater, and culture organization across Kennett Square, West Chester, and Coatesville. Through these conversations, they identified key challenges shared by creative professionals and organizations alike:

• Lack of affordable, flexible performance spaces

• Limited opportunities for cross-collaboration

• Pressing need for shared resources and operational support
  

In response, the WLM Foundation began working with community developers, real estate professionals, and local leaders to envision and plan a permanent solution: a cultural hub that supports emerging artists, strengthens existing organizations, and unlocks new potential for collective creativity.

Armed with years of community listening, qualitative insights, and data-driven needs assessments, the Foundation is now part of the team which is laying the groundwork for the Hub for Arts and Culture to become a public charity. The Hub will activate performance venues, launch arts education programs, and provide essential start-up and operational support to creative organizations across Chester County.