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HISTORY OF THE PERFORMING ARTS CENTER
The
performing arts possess an especially powerful language
for eliciting emotion and compelling people to see,
hear, feel, think and learn.
Without
an active, vibrant gathering place dedicated to
this pursuit, however, the performing arts fall silent
and still. Not a new dream…but a vital one
The
vision that became the Fox Cities Performing Arts Center
has its beginning as long ago as the 1970’s.
It
was then that local arts groups and civic leaders have
imagined a community gathering place in which to house
the region’s wealth of performing artists – a place
to educate and enlighten the community and our children… a stage from which to
present some of the most spectacular and moving
performing arts from around the world.
These
visionaries understood the ongoing support of performing
arts is crucial to the entire region’s quality of
life. What
the project needed at this point was a catalyst- an
individual or corporation to take the lead and provide
the initial momentum necessary to move this long-held
dream successfully toward reality.
The
fall of 1999 was a pivotal point for the dream of
bringing a performing arts facility to the Fox Cities. It was then that Thrivent Financial for Lutherans
stepped forward in overwhelming support of the Center.
Recognizing
the opportunity to marry the community’s need for a
performing arts center with its upcoming centennial
celebration, Thrivent Financial for Lutherans
contributed a very generous $8 million gift toward the
goal – the largest philanthropic corporate gift in the
history of the Fox Cities.
This
was the starting point for the creation of the Fox
Cities Performing Arts Center. The Power of Collective Commitment
Following
Thrivent Financial for Lutherans lead, both private and
public sectors of the community embraced the vision and
showed tremendous effort in bringing the Fox Cities
Performing Arts Center to life. In an unprecedented display of regional cooperation, 14 Fox Cities municipalities dedicated $8 million in hotel and motel room taxes to the construction of the Center. The City of Appleton also pledged an extra portion of their lodging tax toward the Center’s operational needs.
Once
funding was underway, an optimal location was needed.
The City of Appleton designated the site for the arts
and entertainment complex, an ideal location along West
College Avenue. The city’s economic Redevelopment Authority committed the
$4.2 million necessary to acquire this land and prepare
the site for the new theater.
Recognizing
the positive impact the Center would have on our
community, Kimberly-Clark Corporation contributed $3
million to create the Kimberly-Clark Theater, a 450-seat
performance space within the Fox Cities Performing Arts
Center.
Under
the leadership of John Bergstrom, the Performing Arts
Center’s board of directors and an army of volunteer
fundraisers undertook a campaign to raise $45 million. This was the amount of funds needed to build the
Fox Cities Performing Arts Center
So
that everyone in the region would have the opportunity
to participate in the endeavor as a contributor, the
committee sought support throughout the area.
Local foundations, professionals, businesses and
thousands of individuals within the community shared the
dream of a performing arts center gave generously. A Historic Mission. An Accomplished Team
After
an extensive search,
Zeidler Roberts Partnership, Inc. (ZRP)
of Toronto, Canada, was hired to design the Fox Cities
Performing Arts Center.
With
significant experience in the design of major performing
arts facilities, ZRP began their extraordinary design
work in January of 2000. ZRP conceived of a structure as impressive as it is functional. The Center offers the area not only a spectacular addition to the architecture of the area, but a truly superior venue for accommodating local arts groups and those from around the world. Another critical member of the design team, Artec, Inc., of New York, was selected to provide acoustical and theatrical consulting for the Center. Features of their design include an expansive acoustical panel that enhances and disperses sound throughout the main theater to provide an exceptional experience. The Foundation and Future of the Arts
Finally,
in May 2000, the
O.J. Boldt Construction Company began
work on this historic mission. Construction continued for the next 30 months as
one of the most complex and long-awaited facilities to
be built in the Fox Cities began to take shape in the
heart of Appleton’s downtown.
An
impressive structure, the Fox Cities Performing Arts
Center was built using more than 21,000 cubic yards of
concrete, 3.3 million pounds of reinforcing steel and
530 tons of structural steel. The Curtain Rises on the Dream
For
nearly 30 years, the people of this community have
imagined what a gathering place for the performing arts
could mean to the Fox Cities … the cultural programs
it would create and enhance … the visitors it would
draw to our doorstep.
We
dreamed of a place where we could be entertained and
inspired, educated and challenged … where we would be
stimulated and invigorated by world-class talent. A place to see beyond our immediate world and
deepen our insight as human beings. That dream is now a reality. On with the show!
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