Erie Ambassador Program: Session 3 – Arts & Culture

Our third Erie Ambassador Program session took us to the Erie Playhouse where we learned about several arts organizations in the area. They were the Erie Playhouse, the Erie Art Museum, the Erie Philharmonic, and Erie Arts & Culture. Of course, we were already aware of these organizations, but it was good to hear about their histories, present activities, and future plans.

The Erie Playhouse was formed in 1916 by Henry B. Vincent, Chautauqua Institution’s director of music, and did not have a permanent home until 1983, when it purchased the former Strand, a movie theatre.

Almi Clerkin, Erie Playhouse executive director, gave the group an overview of the organization and shared her hopes for its future. Converting the Strand from a movie theatre to a live-performance venue took some doing and necessitated an addition to the rear of the building. In 2006, the seats were replaced, and in 2009, the lobby was renovated at a cost of $300,000. Last year, a digital soundboard was installed, and now it’s easier to adjust the sound based on variables such as temperature and size of the audience. Now, the sound seems to come from the actors on stage rather than the electronic speakers themselves.

The playhouse operates on budget of $1.2 million and employs 12 people who are assisted by many volunteers. Last year, it was one of only four community theatres nationwide chosen to perform Les Miserables, and having seen it on Broadway myself, I can tell you that the Erie Playhouse’s production was up to par with the best.

Upcoming plans involve sinking the pit, which currently sits at floor level. Clerkin’s goal is to make as many improvements to the facility as possible, so that the next generation of playhouse leaders can focus solely on providing an outstanding live-theatre experience to the region.

Erie is fortunate to have its own professional philharmonic orchestra, and the Erie Philharmonic is celebrating its 100^th anniversary this season. Its first performance was on November 30, 1913 at the Park Opera House, which once graced North Park Row in downtown Erie.

Karen Beardsley Petit, marketing director for the Erie Philharmonic, provided an overview of the organization to the Erie Ambassador Spring 2014 class. In 1974, the Warner Theatre became the Erie Philharmonic’s home, with the box office located at Sixth and Walnut Streets. It operates on a $1.2 million budget, and its largest expenses consist of rental of the Warner and compensation to the orchestra made up of professional musicians, of which only a third are local residents. Some travel from as far as Toronto for rehearsals and performances. The Philharmonic performs five pops and five symphonic concerts per year, at an average cost of $67,000 per show. The Philharmonic chorus performs twice each year in addition to its traditional Handel’s Messiah concert.

On May 17, 2014, the Philharmonic brings back the Viennese Ball, which hasn’t been held since the 1970s. This extravagant evening will culminate the season and is sponsored by Erie Insurance, Eriez Magnetics, Hanes Erie, and UPMC Health Plan.

The Erie Art Museum was founded in 1898 as the Erie Art Club and today operates on a $2 million annual budget. Carolyn Eller, marketing director, was its representative for the evening. She reviewed the $11 million renovation and expansion of the museum, which was completed in 2010 and is LEED Certified.

The Museum houses 8,000 pieces that consist of many famous works, in addition to those of the lesser known. It displays one of the largest collections of baskets in the world and has a number of Tiffany glass pieces. It offers 130 events and programs annually along with 15 exhibitions, a contemporary-music series, five gallery nights, and a film series. Its 75 art classes educate 500 students per year.

The Erie Art Museum also produces the annual Blues & Jazz Festival, and sponsors JazzErie, Innovation Erie (a product-design competition), and an annual juried art show. The art show brings an acclaimed artist to Erie who judges each entry live and in person.

Erie Arts & Culture, formerly known as ArtsErie, is a result of a merger between ArtsErie and the Arts & Culture Coalition. Amanda Brown Sissem, executive director, explained the merger with the Arts & Culture Coalition, which was founded to build vibrancy in downtown Erie. ArtsErie got its start as the Arts Council of Erie in 1960.

Today’s Erie Arts & Culture will play an intermediary role for the various area arts groups, uniting artists, arts and culture organizations, and the people who participate in, benefit from, and support their work. It administrates the $3.5 million Erie Arts Endowment and sponsors an artist-in-residency program, in addition to acting as a grant maker.

Brown Sissem says, “We will lead in the promotion of best practices and advocacy for arts and cultural education and engagement and be a preferred partner for those whose passion for arts and culture inspires a legacy of giving.”

After the presentations, Almi Clerken took the group on a tour of the backstage area at the Erie Playhouse theatre. It is very cramped, but very organized, and it is apparent that the Playhouse does the best it can with its available resources.

So far, our Erie Ambassador sessions have made us feel more connected to the Erie region, and as lifelong residents, it affirms what it is that has kept us here and will anchor us into the future, as well. We are looking forward to our next session, which will take place at the Erie County Technical School. Each member of the class has been assigned a different area of education. I was assigned to the early-education area, and my husband, Jim DeDad, will be participating with the technology folks.

Ann Silverthorn (Twitter: @annsilverthorn)  is a versatile blogger who’s written about a wide variety of subjects in a vast number of genres. She’s a proven writer on technology topics, in addition to travel, creative, and grant writing. Ann is currently working on a biography on the life of William E. Dimorier (1871-1951), the nearly forgotten poet and assistant principal of Academy High School in Erie, PA, who dedicated his life to the betterment of young people. Dimorier’s story will demonstrate how this man of humble beginnings positively influenced many lives around the world.