HARRIS CENTER FOR THE ARTS A Fifth Anniversary Report to the Community
OUR MISSION
A BEEHIVE OF ACTIVITY
The Harris Center for the Arts seeks to enrich the lives of people throughout California’s capital region by providing venues and opportunities to experience artistic work, celebrate cultural traditions and participate in the creative process.
The Harris Center hosted 130 events in its 2011 inaugural spring season. Over the past five years, the total has risen to over 1500 events, attracting audiences of 750,000 who purchased over $20 million worth of tickets.
It does this through operation of a $50 million, 80,000 square foot regional arts center opened in 2011, and an evolving array of vibrant programs geared for people of all ages and backgrounds. Among these, • Presentations bring artists from around the world to the Center to perform and share, • Partnerships make the Center a home for local artists and arts organizations, and • Productions are work created and/or developed on site. The Center is home to Folsom Lake College’s visual and performing arts instructional offerings, as well as other life-long learning programs for the broader community. 2 HARRIS CENTER – A Fifth Anniversary Report to the Community
ART GROWS THE ECONOMY Since opening in 2011, the total economic impact of the Harris Center’s operations on the Sacramento region has exceeded $45 million. ART MAKES JOBS The Harris Center has generated hundreds of local FTE jobs. ART SPREADS THE GOOD WILL ALL AROUND Restaurants, bars, babysitters, gas stations, and artists are just some of the beneficiaries, as Harris Center generates income for the regional economy. ART PAYS ITS DUES Harris Center operations have generated $4.4 million in state and local government revenue since 2011. ART BUILDS BRIDGES In its first five years, the Harris Center has hosted visits by artists from over 50 countries. ART GIVES BACK The Harris Center has donated tickets to hundreds of nonprofits in our community for use in fundraisers. ART, AND LOTS OF ART MAKING In addition to public events, the Center hosts hundreds of rehearsals and other activities each year.
These estimates are based on research findings from 182 regions across the country, courtesy of Arts & Economic Prosperity IV, a national economic impact study of nonprofit arts and culture organizations and their audiences conducted by Americans for the Arts.
HARRIS CENTER – A Fifth Anniversary Report to the Community 3
OUR MISSION
A BEEHIVE OF ACTIVITY
The Harris Center for the Arts seeks to enrich the lives of people throughout California’s capital region by providing venues and opportunities to experience artistic work, celebrate cultural traditions and participate in the creative process.
The Harris Center hosted 130 events in its 2011 inaugural spring season. Over the past five years, the total has risen to over 1500 events, attracting audiences of 750,000 who purchased over $20 million worth of tickets.
It does this through operation of a $50 million, 80,000 square foot regional arts center opened in 2011, and an evolving array of vibrant programs geared for people of all ages and backgrounds. Among these, • Presentations bring artists from around the world to the Center to perform and share, • Partnerships make the Center a home for local artists and arts organizations, and • Productions are work created and/or developed on site. The Center is home to Folsom Lake College’s visual and performing arts instructional offerings, as well as other life-long learning programs for the broader community. 2 HARRIS CENTER – A Fifth Anniversary Report to the Community
ART GROWS THE ECONOMY Since opening in 2011, the total economic impact of the Harris Center’s operations on the Sacramento region has exceeded $45 million. ART MAKES JOBS The Harris Center has generated hundreds of local FTE jobs. ART SPREADS THE GOOD WILL ALL AROUND Restaurants, bars, babysitters, gas stations, and artists are just some of the beneficiaries, as Harris Center generates income for the regional economy. ART PAYS ITS DUES Harris Center operations have generated $4.4 million in state and local government revenue since 2011. ART BUILDS BRIDGES In its first five years, the Harris Center has hosted visits by artists from over 50 countries. ART GIVES BACK The Harris Center has donated tickets to hundreds of nonprofits in our community for use in fundraisers. ART, AND LOTS OF ART MAKING In addition to public events, the Center hosts hundreds of rehearsals and other activities each year.
These estimates are based on research findings from 182 regions across the country, courtesy of Arts & Economic Prosperity IV, a national economic impact study of nonprofit arts and culture organizations and their audiences conducted by Americans for the Arts.
HARRIS CENTER – A Fifth Anniversary Report to the Community 3
COME TOGETHER When a community puts its mind to it, there’s nothing that can’t be accomplished. Opening a performing arts center in the shadow of the great recession, and doing so successfully, is a testimony to the enthusiasm, grit and vision of this community. As a result, the capital region has a new home for the arts. THE WALLS RISE! The journey to build the Harris Center for the Arts began in earnest in 2002 with the passage of Measure A and Proposition 47. Together, they provided additional funding for Folsom Lake College, including initial funding for a theater. A feasibility study followed in 2003, and a formal proposal was approved by the Los Rios Community College District in 2004. Construction began in 2008 and by November, 2010, the venue was ready to begin selling tickets. The facility opened as Three Stages at Folsom Lake College on February 11, 2011, with a performance of A Chorus Line. In August, 2012, the facility’s name was changed to the Harris Center for the Arts, honoring LRCCD Chancellor Brice Harris at the time of his retirement. OUR PARTNERS ARE BEDROCK Artists are elegant, artists are rare. And artists are also your neighbors and friends, the guy down the street who has played violin since he was six, the daughter of your best friend, the amateur actor 4 HARRIS CENTER – A Fifth Anniversary Report to the Community
OUR AUDIENCE SPEAKS OUT Last summer, over 1600 Harris Center patrons responded to a quick survey about the impact of the venue on their lives. The comments were overwhelmingly positive: 82% of respondents indicated that they were able to “experience joy as a result of their Harris Center experiences,” 64% indicated that they “had been transformed by a remarkable artistic experience at the Harris Center.”
and have found a stage at the Harris Center, a place where their talents can unfold in a professional setting, a home in which they can do their very best work for you.
who works in a store in town but really knows her Shakespeare. The regional organizations that use the Harris Center – the Folsom Lake Symphony, El Dorado Musical Theatre, Folsom Lake Community Concert Association, Placer Pops Chorale, Pamela Hayes Classical Ballet, Carrera Productions and so many more – have found a home at the Harris Center. Some of our over 100 Community Partners bring artists from far away, but most labor for love and to share their own special talents with the community. They live here in the capital region
OUR VOLUNTEERS ROCK Over 1500 members of our community have volunteered in support of the Harris Center. As ushers, they’re the friendly folks that greet and seat you, answer questions and generally help the show to go on. Others assist as gallery docents, serve on committees, fundraise for the Center, and just lend a helping hand as needed. Together, our dedicated Harris Center volunteers have donated over 156,000 hours of their time. Bravo!
" I’m proud that our relatively small community has such a first-rate facility for bringing in art and entertainment. I think the variety, type and quality of performances has been excellent, too." – ANTHONY (TONY) CERVONE " LOVE Harris Center in Folsom. So wonderful to have such an amazing theater in our small town." – LIZ MILLARD " Consistent high quality performances at exceptionally low cost!" – KEN TORKELSON " High quality entertainment that is in my neighborhood… Always enjoy an evening at the Harris Center!" – SUE SOLGER " I’ve seen seven shows at The Harris Center for the Arts, and all of them were excellent. A standout experience was a performance by the Folsom Symphony; the sound in the theater was sublime." – LAURA STEELE MONAHAN HARRIS CENTER – A Fifth Anniversary Report to the Community 5
COME TOGETHER When a community puts its mind to it, there’s nothing that can’t be accomplished. Opening a performing arts center in the shadow of the great recession, and doing so successfully, is a testimony to the enthusiasm, grit and vision of this community. As a result, the capital region has a new home for the arts. THE WALLS RISE! The journey to build the Harris Center for the Arts began in earnest in 2002 with the passage of Measure A and Proposition 47. Together, they provided additional funding for Folsom Lake College, including initial funding for a theater. A feasibility study followed in 2003, and a formal proposal was approved by the Los Rios Community College District in 2004. Construction began in 2008 and by November, 2010, the venue was ready to begin selling tickets. The facility opened as Three Stages at Folsom Lake College on February 11, 2011, with a performance of A Chorus Line. In August, 2012, the facility’s name was changed to the Harris Center for the Arts, honoring LRCCD Chancellor Brice Harris at the time of his retirement. OUR PARTNERS ARE BEDROCK Artists are elegant, artists are rare. And artists are also your neighbors and friends, the guy down the street who has played violin since he was six, the daughter of your best friend, the amateur actor 4 HARRIS CENTER – A Fifth Anniversary Report to the Community
OUR AUDIENCE SPEAKS OUT Last summer, over 1600 Harris Center patrons responded to a quick survey about the impact of the venue on their lives. The comments were overwhelmingly positive: 82% of respondents indicated that they were able to “experience joy as a result of their Harris Center experiences,” 64% indicated that they “had been transformed by a remarkable artistic experience at the Harris Center.”
and have found a stage at the Harris Center, a place where their talents can unfold in a professional setting, a home in which they can do their very best work for you.
who works in a store in town but really knows her Shakespeare. The regional organizations that use the Harris Center – the Folsom Lake Symphony, El Dorado Musical Theatre, Folsom Lake Community Concert Association, Placer Pops Chorale, Pamela Hayes Classical Ballet, Carrera Productions and so many more – have found a home at the Harris Center. Some of our over 100 Community Partners bring artists from far away, but most labor for love and to share their own special talents with the community. They live here in the capital region
OUR VOLUNTEERS ROCK Over 1500 members of our community have volunteered in support of the Harris Center. As ushers, they’re the friendly folks that greet and seat you, answer questions and generally help the show to go on. Others assist as gallery docents, serve on committees, fundraise for the Center, and just lend a helping hand as needed. Together, our dedicated Harris Center volunteers have donated over 156,000 hours of their time. Bravo!
" I’m proud that our relatively small community has such a first-rate facility for bringing in art and entertainment. I think the variety, type and quality of performances has been excellent, too." – ANTHONY (TONY) CERVONE " LOVE Harris Center in Folsom. So wonderful to have such an amazing theater in our small town." – LIZ MILLARD " Consistent high quality performances at exceptionally low cost!" – KEN TORKELSON " High quality entertainment that is in my neighborhood… Always enjoy an evening at the Harris Center!" – SUE SOLGER " I’ve seen seven shows at The Harris Center for the Arts, and all of them were excellent. A standout experience was a performance by the Folsom Symphony; the sound in the theater was sublime." – LAURA STEELE MONAHAN HARRIS CENTER – A Fifth Anniversary Report to the Community 5
OUR DONORS MAKE THE DIFFERENCE
WE CAN’T DO IT WITHOUT YOU!
The truth, plain and simple: there would be no Harris Center for the Arts without the generosity of people in our community. Our donors not only help keep the doors open and programs healthy, they deepen the impact of the arts on the region in a myriad of ways. Following are three examples of how such support helps the Center make a greater impact in our community.
In February, 2011, the Harris Center for the Arts opened its doors on the strength of community support, both public and private. For those doors to remain wide open to our community — and to talented students, community organizations and the finest artists in the world — work in support of the Center and its programs must continue.
CLASS ACTS! SCHOOL TIME MATINEE SERIES Students who actively engage in the arts through a variety of experiences gain multiple benefits that contribute to academic achievement and personal success. It is with this in mind that the Center launched Class Acts!, a school time matinee series designed to both entertain and inspire students through multicultural, multidisciplinary performances that connect them to a world of culture. Since 2011, over 50,000 students have visited the Center for a school time matinee. For many, it was their first trip to a theater. YOUTH ARTS ACADEMY Launched in 2013, the Summer Youth Arts Academy inspires art appreciation and excellence among children and increases community awareness of and participation in visual art experiences of area youth. Participants enjoy classes with master teachers who are also working artists. Classes in drawing, painting, sculpture, and printmaking are enhanced with visits to the Harris Center Bank of America Art Gallery and a final exhibition of the students’ work. 6 HARRIS CENTER – A Fifth Anniversary Report to the Community
The potential for the Harris Center remains enormous. While the adage is true — so much art, so little time — a well-funded, healthy program can further increase the impact of the Center on the region — bringing ever-greater artists to Folsom, in greater numbers, and assuring increased access and participation in Center programs among all members of the community. Every dollar spent on a ticket must be matched by a donated dollar. That’s the hard truth in the performing arts: even after the remarkable civic and philanthropic effort that built the Harris Center was completed, the generous efforts by this community must continue on for the Center to realize its full potential, for high-quality programs to flourish and continue to surprise, stimulate, and delight.
YOUTH CHAMBER ORCHESTRA The Folsom Lake College Youth Chamber Orchestra inspires music appreciation and excellence among young people ages 12-18, and increases community awareness of and participation in the musical experiences of youth. The orchestra rehearses weekly and performs two concert programs in the Harris Center each year. These programs have been made possible through underwriting provided by Wells Fargo and The Robert S. and Star Pepper Foundation.
THERE ARE MANY WAYS YOU CAN SUPPORT THE HARRIS CENTER: ATTEND EVENTS. Audience participation in events closes the loop between the creation and sharing of arts – it’s why the Center exists and why many artists make their art. Ticket sales also account for a significant portion of revenue. VOLUNTEER. It’s easy, and a fun way to get involved, while contributing to the success of the Center. Visit www.HarrisCenter.net and look under the “Community” tab for more information on how to get involved. DONATE. From the opportunity to buy tickets before public sale, to attendance at Art of Wine receptions, the benefits to you as a Donor Member are many.
SPONSOR A PROGRAM. Assure that your favorite artist or art form is presented on stage, while also receiving visibility in the community and/or access to other valuable sponsor benefits. NAME A SEAT. Your generosity will create a permanent impression on this state-of-the-art venue, with your name, or that of a family or friend, engraved on a plaque and affixed to a seat of your choice. Larger naming opportunities exist as well. DOUBLE YOUR GIFT. To increase your benefits and double your gift to the Harris Center, inquire if your company/business has a matching gift program. To learn more about the ways to support the Center through a donation or sponsorship, visit www.HarrisCenter.net and explore under the “Donate” tab, or call the Folsom Lake College Foundation at 916-608-6705. WE THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT! The Harris Center at Folsom Lake College operates under the auspices of the Los Rios Community College District. The Folsom Lake College Foundation is under the auspices of The Los Rios Foundation, which holds the legal non-profit status 501(c)(3) for all Los Rios colleges and the Harris Center for the Arts. Donations are tax deductible to the extent possible under the law. Fair market value of benefits provided may affect portion of the gift which is tax deductible.
HARRIS CENTER – A Fifth Anniversary Report to the Community 7
OUR DONORS MAKE THE DIFFERENCE
WE CAN’T DO IT WITHOUT YOU!
The truth, plain and simple: there would be no Harris Center for the Arts without the generosity of people in our community. Our donors not only help keep the doors open and programs healthy, they deepen the impact of the arts on the region in a myriad of ways. Following are three examples of how such support helps the Center make a greater impact in our community.
In February, 2011, the Harris Center for the Arts opened its doors on the strength of community support, both public and private. For those doors to remain wide open to our community — and to talented students, community organizations and the finest artists in the world — work in support of the Center and its programs must continue.
CLASS ACTS! SCHOOL TIME MATINEE SERIES Students who actively engage in the arts through a variety of experiences gain multiple benefits that contribute to academic achievement and personal success. It is with this in mind that the Center launched Class Acts!, a school time matinee series designed to both entertain and inspire students through multicultural, multidisciplinary performances that connect them to a world of culture. Since 2011, over 50,000 students have visited the Center for a school time matinee. For many, it was their first trip to a theater. YOUTH ARTS ACADEMY Launched in 2013, the Summer Youth Arts Academy inspires art appreciation and excellence among children and increases community awareness of and participation in visual art experiences of area youth. Participants enjoy classes with master teachers who are also working artists. Classes in drawing, painting, sculpture, and printmaking are enhanced with visits to the Harris Center Bank of America Art Gallery and a final exhibition of the students’ work. 6 HARRIS CENTER – A Fifth Anniversary Report to the Community
The potential for the Harris Center remains enormous. While the adage is true — so much art, so little time — a well-funded, healthy program can further increase the impact of the Center on the region — bringing ever-greater artists to Folsom, in greater numbers, and assuring increased access and participation in Center programs among all members of the community. Every dollar spent on a ticket must be matched by a donated dollar. That’s the hard truth in the performing arts: even after the remarkable civic and philanthropic effort that built the Harris Center was completed, the generous efforts by this community must continue on for the Center to realize its full potential, for high-quality programs to flourish and continue to surprise, stimulate, and delight.
YOUTH CHAMBER ORCHESTRA The Folsom Lake College Youth Chamber Orchestra inspires music appreciation and excellence among young people ages 12-18, and increases community awareness of and participation in the musical experiences of youth. The orchestra rehearses weekly and performs two concert programs in the Harris Center each year. These programs have been made possible through underwriting provided by Wells Fargo and The Robert S. and Star Pepper Foundation.
THERE ARE MANY WAYS YOU CAN SUPPORT THE HARRIS CENTER: ATTEND EVENTS. Audience participation in events closes the loop between the creation and sharing of arts – it’s why the Center exists and why many artists make their art. Ticket sales also account for a significant portion of revenue. VOLUNTEER. It’s easy, and a fun way to get involved, while contributing to the success of the Center. Visit www.HarrisCenter.net and look under the “Community” tab for more information on how to get involved. DONATE. From the opportunity to buy tickets before public sale, to attendance at Art of Wine receptions, the benefits to you as a Donor Member are many.
SPONSOR A PROGRAM. Assure that your favorite artist or art form is presented on stage, while also receiving visibility in the community and/or access to other valuable sponsor benefits. NAME A SEAT. Your generosity will create a permanent impression on this state-of-the-art venue, with your name, or that of a family or friend, engraved on a plaque and affixed to a seat of your choice. Larger naming opportunities exist as well. DOUBLE YOUR GIFT. To increase your benefits and double your gift to the Harris Center, inquire if your company/business has a matching gift program. To learn more about the ways to support the Center through a donation or sponsorship, visit www.HarrisCenter.net and explore under the “Donate” tab, or call the Folsom Lake College Foundation at 916-608-6705. WE THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT! The Harris Center at Folsom Lake College operates under the auspices of the Los Rios Community College District. The Folsom Lake College Foundation is under the auspices of The Los Rios Foundation, which holds the legal non-profit status 501(c)(3) for all Los Rios colleges and the Harris Center for the Arts. Donations are tax deductible to the extent possible under the law. Fair market value of benefits provided may affect portion of the gift which is tax deductible.
HARRIS CENTER – A Fifth Anniversary Report to the Community 7