Hours for Midland Center for the Artsqcenter for the Performing Arts Center Museum Complex

Terri Trotter has served as the president and chief executive officeholder of the Midland Center for the Arts for over 5 years. The Middle is fifty years quondam this twelvemonth. Before COVID-19 impacted the facility, 166,000 persons attended shows and exhibits in 2019. The Center's budget was at $9.viii million. Revenue is downward by over a third considering of the pandemic and the Tittabawassee River disaster that flooded some of the building. Prior to the pandemic, the Center employed 75 persons, including 55 full-time. That number has dropped to 46, including just a few part-time employees.
Terri Trotter is the president and CEO of the Midland Heart for the Arts.
Trotter, her staff, and the board of directors have responded with innovative programming including outdoor events, pop-upwards exhibits, and the new Pendulum Lounge.  The Center too had a unique part this year, hosting COVID-19 vaccine clinics, working with the Midland County Department of Public Health and Walgreens. Trotter says, "It'south been a lot more than emotionally satisfying (than anticipated)."

Trotter was born in Nebraska. She graduated from high school in Marion, Indiana. She earned a bachelor's degree from Northwestern University and a primary'south from Indiana University, both in communications. Trotter got her starting time chore in arts assistants in communications and marketing in Arkansas. She later managed the Dominicus Valley Center for the Arts in Idaho before coming to Midland.

Q: Subsequently 50 years, what does the Center for the Arts hateful to this community?

A: Our mission is to be a cultural destination where people detect significant and connections, where people tin can gather for experiences that are meaningful in whatsoever that means to them.

The front entrance of the Eye for the Arts has served as the forepart porch for outdoor programming in the age of COVID. I've been in the industry for 20 years at present; I'm unable to find a facility like ours. I'm office of a group of facilities in the country that gathers (on occasion). Nobody else has the depth of programming we do under 1 roof, with the arts and sciences. Information technology truly is an opportunity to engage in so many different things, where y'all can meet people and discuss ideas. That was Alden Dow's vision (the edifice'due south architect). We've spent time recently looking at his original writings. In that location are two core tenets. The offset is some of the time we appreciate and the 2d is some of the time we create. You can be on stage, accept a class, strop skills, practice hands-on, attempt to solve issues. That's what we're trying to do, to build on that in the museum.  Arts and scientific discipline are necessary components in life. Innovation is creativity — one feeds the other. The customs needs both.

Q: Describe the challenges you're facing.

A: We're operating under COVID-nineteen restrictions and the bear on of the flood (May 2020).  We're dealing with these two limitations. The Center for the Arts is operating at 60% power capacity. There'due south no power in our offices. In our main building, one expanse of the lower level was flooded, which included rehearsal space, and our electric power system, six of our vii transformers were underwater. We also had substantial water damage at the Dow Museum and the Doan Center. Our archives and collections had substantial damage. Those items are existence repaired and restored with much of that stored at the Center.

We're working with FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency) to get aid to restore the building, fix the harm, and do mitigation going forwards. We're trying to get as many resources as we tin can. It's incredibly circuitous. We're going to be in a position to commencement repairs in the next few months.

Q: A special concert was performed past the Midland Symphony Orchestra to celebrate the 50th ceremony on May 1. What'due south planned going forrard?

A: Nosotros are really excited about the summer flavour upcoming. We've learned a lot through COVID. Nosotros started to practice more outdoor programming through the summer (last year). Nosotros moved our lounge and the one-act phase outdoors. The public loved it —Michiganders love the summer. It's acquired us to rethink our summer programming. Nosotros're still not at a point where we can do or desire to practise a lot of indoor programs. Nosotros'll take a brand new outdoor stage. We'll have a season of entertaining musical events, one-act, and theatrical events on the outdoor phase. (The "Front Porch" is the popular-up stage and event space at the front archway of the building). We yet have our lounge serving cocktails and food.
The Midland Symphony Orchestra performed on the 50th anniversary of the Center for the Arts on May i.
A couple of highlights: Nosotros're doing an exhibit in the lobby inside the center. It'southward called "From the Inside Out." It's well-nigh health and health, how to live a healthy lifestyle, amidst all the germs. Information technology's a fun showroom. Nosotros'll as well accept components of our Spark!Lab, — very interactive, Stalk-based.

We'll take the region's very starting time performance to a alive audience, the musical "Grease" at the cease of June. Information technology'south existence performed by loftier school students from across the region. We just finished casting the show. Nosotros phone call information technology "Rise Stars." These kids didn't get to do a musical in their inferior or senior years at high school so we thought we could give them ane more opportunity. We've brought in a creative team from New York: manager, musical director, choreographer, and voice coach. They become an opportunity to exist coached past people working on Broadway. We abound such incredible talent in the region. We could run into this continuing.

The Eye Stage Theater in Baronial is doing "Jesus Christ Superstar," outdoors. That show is also 50 years old. It premiered on Broadway. People are starting to get ready to be back at the Center again, to become dorsum in the habit. We're hopeful to get back inside the theaters.

This summer, we'll exist announcing our 50th season, "Broadway." Nosotros'll have a flavour of live events. The Broadway serial starts in Jan 2022, but people will start performing on our stages by the end of September.

Q: Why practise you work in the arts?

A: I didn't know in that location was arts administration when I was in college. I started in commercial radio and so moved on to corporate outcome production. I really fell into the arts opportunity when there was a position available in Arkansas, showtime worked in communications and marketing.
The Midland Heart for the Arts is celebrating its 50th anniversary this twelvemonth.
I was in plays and musicals growing upwards. Played in the marching band at Northwestern. What keeps me doing what I exercise is the thought of community connections. The large campuses (similar ours) that sit in these communities. It'southward where people connect. We can help drive economical evolution and make this a great identify to alive.

I want people to feel a connection to the Center here even if they never come up. I want them to say they know how important it is and how glad they are it'due south downwardly the street. I'm encouraging them to come, just the value of what we do goes beyond what's but on the stage.

For information on programs and tickets, go to the Center for the Arts website.

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