Arts Center In West Orange Gets $100K Donation

WEST ORANGE, NJ — The Oskar Schindler Performing Arts Center (OSPAC) recently received a $100,000 donation from a West Orange-based real estate firm.

BNE Real Estate Group provided the donation to the arts center, which will help the venue “elevate its digital presence, expand community programming and ensure long-term sustainability,” a township news release stated.

There is a deep connection between one of the firm’s founding principals and the OSPAC, township officials said:

“OSPAC is named in honor of Oskar Schindler, the German industrialist who, in 1944, saved the lives of approximately 1,250 Jewish workers by placing their names on a list and convincing Nazi generals that all 1,700 of his employees were essential to the war effort. Among those saved was the father of Larry Pantirer, a founding principal of BNE Real Estate Group. In tribute to the man who saved his father's life, Mr. Pantirer dedicated this beloved community amphitheater to Schindler's memory, making BNE's continued investment in OSPAC a deeply personal legacy.”

The Oskar Schindler Performing Arts Center at 4 Boland Drive is operated in partnership with Pleasant Valley Productions, and is dedicated to “enriching the community through innovative performances, arts education and cultural programming.” Learn more about the 2026 OSPAC season here.

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