We began as the Dai Vernon Fund, a non-profit arm of the AMA, established via a bequest received from the estate of the renowned Close-up Magician Dai Vernon, after his 1992 death. The original purpose of the bequest was to fund the cash grant that accompanies the Close-up Award presented at the AMA’s annual awards show. In time others began to donate to the fund, and to hold fundraisers in suppor
t of it; for example, the AMA’s annual Soapy Smith night, and the donation of objects sold at the semi-annual AMA swap meet. The Fund’s activities expanded to include small cash grants given to aid magicians in financial or health trouble. In recent years, the decision was made to incorporate as a California non-profit organization so that we could expand both our educational and charitable activities, as well as help maximize our fund-raising efforts. Dai Vernon was an outspoken advocate of educational and skill-building opportunities for young magicians, and we hope to expand our offerings in this area through such projects as establishing a center for advanced studies in stage magic to conduct workshops, providing mentors to help magicians with their technique, staging, and performance, and facilitating access to a world-class magic research library. We also intend to set up programs to recognize and reward innovations in magic. At the same time, we wish to continue our charitable activities towards magicians in need, in accordance with the wishes of later bequests and donations.
