The center had been known as the E. Claire Raley Studios for Performing Arts. The new name still honors the late mother of Joyce Raley Teel, the center’s largest individual contributor. The “Claire” and “Raley” names have been combined to form “Clara.”
In a rare public appearance, Teel said she was honored to have a building that lives up to her mother’s spunk. Despite growing up poor, she said, her mother had an affinity for the arts and never stopped learning. She learned to fly at 50 and to play the piano at 60, Teel said.
