TO: Chair and Members of the Board
FROM: Diane Colonna, Executive Director
DATE: April 12, 2017
Title
RESOLUTION APPROVING SPONSORSHIP GRANT - BROWARD STAGE DOOR THEATER
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BACKGROUND:
The Broward Stage Door Theater is located in the MCRA district at 8036 W. Sample Road. It was established almost 25 years ago and includes two fully functional theater venues. It is a non-profit performing arts organization that depends upon ticket sales, grants and sponsorships to survive. As with most arts organizations, cash flow is a frequent challenge as they juggle rent, repairs, production costs, administrative expenses, etc. The former movie theater building that Stage Door occupies is 34 years old and many of its systems are in need of repair or replacement.
Stage Door has developed a sponsorship program to solicit funds to help sustain its operations. As the main arts venue in Margate it is very important to the CRA and City that it continue to thrive. Art and culture facilities can be powerful economic drivers. As noted in the background information, total attendance at last year's shows was 60,632 people. The theater employs 3 full time and 11 part time staff, as well as 124 contract personnel.
In August 2016 the CRA Board approved a match to an NEA grant being submitted by Stage Door. The matching funds would be used to establish an arts incubator in one of the CRA's tenant spaces in the Chevy Chase Plaza, as well as provide funds for fa?ade and site improvements to the theater building. The NEA is expected to announce its choice of grant recipients sometime this month.
In the meantime, the CRA could consider providing a sponsorship grant to assist the theater with an upcoming production. There are several possible sponsorship levels. The CRA currently has $5,000 in its budget under the category "Event Sponsorships" that has not as of yet been committed to any event.
The CRA's commitment to art and culture initiatives is addressed in the...
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