The Morris Performing Arts Center in downtown South Bend will turn 100 next year, and as the anniversary approaches, city leaders are planning for the theater’s next 100 years.
The city’s Venues, Parks & Arts department announced a $30 million fundraising campaign on Tuesday to coincide with the theater’s centennial.
That money will help fund a massive expansion of the building, including a parking garage and a reimagined outdoor plaza.
It will also create an Equity in the Arts endowment, which Executive Director of Venues Jeff Jarnecke says will allow the Morris to fund artist residencies and local programs to get at-risk kids involved in the arts.
He said it will also allow the theater to bring in new shows from smaller promoters.
“So if there’s a barrier to entry relative to production, relative to rental fees, we would be able to use that fund to help promoters that may not otherwise be able to afford to do business with the Morris,” he said.
The city is expected to contribute $10 million to the project through the hotel-motel tax process. Between that and a $5 million lead gift from Ernestine Raclin, Carmi and Chris Murphy, and The Carmichael Foundation, the campaign is halfway to its goal of $30 million.
Jarnecke said VPA and the fundraising committee aim to raise the remaining $14 million over the next 12-24 months. For more details, visit morris100.org
Contact Gemma atgdicarlo@wvpe.orgor follow her on Twitter at@gemma_dicarlo.
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