“When you live in a community, you support the community.”

Dr. Kienan Murphy’s father offered him these words of wisdom when he was just a child, and he and his wife, Liz, have spent the last 43 years living by them.

“We both moved to Flint to begin our careers,” Liz said. “We truly decided to make it our home, and part of making it your home is contributing and participating.”

Liz moved to Flint from Rochester, NY to attend General Motors Institute, now Kettering University, beginning a career as an engineer for Buick before eventually retiring from the Flint and Genesee Chamber of Commerce. Meanwhile, Kienan, a transplant from New York City, was studying to begin his 38-year career as a pediatrician. Even as young adults, the couple saw the value of the Flint Cultural Center.

Perhaps it was their upbringing in the arts that drew them in: Liz played trombone in her high school band, and Kienan spent many evenings in New York City theatres with his parents. It may have been the arrival of their three children that convinced them to stay, the oldest of whom was the percussionist who first inspired the couple to sponsor an FSO percussion chair. Regardless, the Murphys didn’t just stay — they served. Liz spent 20 years on the board of the Flint Institute of Arts (FIA), including multiple terms as president, while Dr. Murphy served nine years on the FIM Board of Trustees. For years, they’ve been Reubens Society members at FIA and have attended countless shows at FIM venues.

Even more important than their participation and volunteer efforts was their advocacy for the arts programs they loved. The couple began attending Flint Symphony Orchestra concerts over 40 years ago, and for much of that time, they worked to introduce new friends to the experience, even purchasing a second set of season tickets for guests.

“We always invited other couples to attend with us to introduce them to the symphony,” said Dr. Murphy. “It’s always incredible to us — if we take someone who’s never been to Whiting Auditorium, they are astonished at how gorgeous it is.”

Now retired and traveling frequently, the couple donates their symphony tickets to friends who might enjoy them when they can’t attend. Regardless of attendance, they continue to support the symphony as FSO Chair sponsors, a tradition they’ve maintained for 25 years.

“We have always enjoyed Enrique’s conducting,” Dr. Murphy said. “The quality of the symphony, especially for the size of the community — compared to what we’d pay to see a show or symphony in New York — it’s an incredible value.” When you consider the deep discounts afforded by the Arts and Culture millage, he adds, “it’s so incredibly inexpensive to take part in things.”

Now, they spend less time recruiting peers but take pride in sharing these cultural institutions with their grandchildren, noting, “We just feel the Cultural Center is indeed a jewel of the community.”

Learn more about FSO Chair Sponsorship and supporting FIM programming by contacting Ann Marie Van Duyne, amvanduyne@thefim.org.