Annual Meeting of the Beck Center
October 29, 2007
Vision for the Future
Cindy Einhouse, President & CEO
1. State of the Beck
- The Beck Center has gone through some financially challenging times in
the past, and continues to be challenged just as many other cultural arts
organizations are. Funding from the County Arts and Culture Grant will be
helpful in the future, but we need the support of individuals in the community
in order to continue to serve our mission.
- Our budget was $2.3 million last year, and we finished the year with a
$300,000 deficit. We are currently working on a financial turnaround plan,
and part of that involves strategies for reducing our debt. We know that
if we are to accomplish our dreams, we must make balancing our budget and
reducing our debt our number one priority. I am confident that together
we can make this happen.
- We must do this because the Beck Center is such a valuable asset to Lakewood
and to our region. For the past 76 years, the Beck Center has provided Northeast
Ohio with exciting and stimulating cultural arts. Allow me to share with
you some of the highlights of what we do.
- Today we offer high quality professional theatrical productions on two
stages, comprehensive curriculum-based arts education in Creative Arts Therapies,
dance, music, theater, and visual arts, and gallery exhibits featuring local
and regional artists.
- An economic impact study completed at the beginning of the last fiscal
year by Impact Economics, an independent research firm, determined that
the Beck Center has an economic impact of $10 million per year in Cuyahoga
County. The study estimates that 65,000 people visited the Beck Center during
fiscal year ending 2006 and that theater patrons come to the Beck from geographically
diverse locations: 60% from West Shore suburbs and eastern Lorain County,
30% from Cleveland and the Eastern suburbs and 10% from the South side.
This means many people are attracted to the Beck from communities outside
of Lakewood and often they visit restaurants and other Lakewood establishments
while they are here.
- Many studies have shown that arts organizations have a profound impact
on a city’s economy. The arts have proven to be a catalyst for economic
development.
EDUCATION
- Currently 3,000 individuals of all ages are enrolled in a full range of
arts education classes.
- The Beck Center provided nearly $10,000 in financial aid during the last
year to talented and creative children with financial need from the Greater
Cleveland community.
- Our Children’s Theater program will celebrate its 60th anniversary
next year. We are currently collecting addresses of alumni of this program
so we can let you know the details, so please include this information on
your comment card or on a separate sheet of paper.
- The Beck Center is joining with the Lakewood City School District and
numerous other partners to collaborate on the design of an Arts and Communication
Academy that will serve students of the West Shore school districts of Lakewood,
Rocky River, Bay Village, and Westlake. Scheduled to open in September 2008,
the Academy will provide an educational program for high school students
that is geared toward acquiring college course credit and developing the
knowledge and skills needed for career success in Media Arts, Performing
Arts, and Visual Design and Imaging. When the Academy opens at the Beck
Center next Fall, it will be among the first of its type in Ohio.
OUTREACH
- The Education Outreach programs and workshops serve 1,900 individuals
annually, providing quality arts experiences and education to young people
including underserved, at-risk or economically disadvantaged youth.
- Our Department of Creative Arts Therapy, founded in 1994, now serves more
than 1,500 children and adults with special needs each week. Music and the
visual arts are used to enrich their lives by developing their artistic
talents as well as many life skills.
- In recognition of this program, Ed Gallagher, the Director of Education
and Creative Arts Therapies at the Beck received the 2007 Service Award
from the Great Lakes Region of the American Music Therapy Association.
THEATER
- The current professional theater season has one of the most exciting and
ambitious schedules in Greater Cleveland with 3 Cleveland premieres and
one World Premiere.
- We offer an eclectic mix of thought-provoking pieces, along with our family
classic Disney’s Beauty and Beast in December. If you haven’t
yet seen this fantastic production, be sure to order your tickets now. We
are expecting a sell-out again, especially since this is final year for
this production.
- Scott Spence, Artistic Director of the Beck for the past 16 years, was
honored to receive the Northern Ohio Live Award of Achievement in Theater
for the 2005-06 theater season.
- As part of our commitment to outreach, the Beck provided over 1,000 complimentary
tickets to the community last year.
- We are in the process this year of retuning and refining our theater and
education programming for greater financial stability, including re-establishing
our endowment.
- As part of this effort, we are establishing the Lynda Sackett Endowment
Fund for Dance Education in recognition of her service to the Beck, as head
of the Dance Department for over 40 years. We welcome you to join us this
Friday, Nov. 2 for a Salute to Lynda Sackett. Tickets are available at the
Box Office, and proceeds will benefit the Lynda Sackett Endowment Fund for
Dance Education.
- We are pleased to announce the new head of Dance Education Melanie Szucs.
As a member of the Beck dance faculty for 20 years, Melanie represents continuity
in department and a continuation of the high standards the public has come
to expect.
2. Beck Center Revitalization Project
- The Real Estate Development Group was formed
this summer for the purpose of developing a vision for the future.
- The group includes Board members, staff, and
outside experts, as listed below:
Beck Center Real Estate Development Group
Alec Pacella, Chair* (Regional Director, First Industrial Realty Trust)
Terry Coyne (Grubb & Ellis)
Tom Einhouse (VP, PSF Management Co.)
Jerry Hoegner (retired Director of Marketing, Plain Dealer)
Tom Jordan (City of Lakewood, Planning Director)
Joe Marinucci (Pres/CEO, Downtown Cleveland Alliance)
Mark Stockman (attorney, architect, Lakewood resident)
Fred Unger, Board Chairman* (Retired Vice President of Development, MetroHealth)
Bruce Wacker* (Retired, Cleveland Diocese, Facilities Consultant)
Maggie Weitzel* (Beck Board, VP, Wyse Advertising)
Mike Wise (attorney, McDonald Hopkins)
(* member of Beck Board of Directors)
- For over 75 years, the Beck Center has been a
vital community resource, but our three buildings are very costly and inefficient
to operate.
i. Over $190,000/year in utilities and general maintenance
ii. 32 different heating systems
iii. 3 separate buildings on 3 ½ acres of property
- Our goal is to
i. consolidate our operation on our 3 ½ acre footprint,
ii. convert some of our property for business or housing which would generate
income and provide a stimulating environment for the community,
iii. be a catalyst for the creation of an arts and culture district, and
iv. be attentive to historic preservation
- Why now?
i. Our facility is aging and in need of major repairs; it is having a significant
impact on our financial stability
ii. We also have an opportunity now to be a part of a larger effort with the
City of Lakewood’s Detroit Avenue Streetscape Design Concept.
- The City of Lakewood is finalizing its plans
for a new streetscape for Detroit Ave, from W. 117th Street to the Rocky River
border. The purpose of this project is to reorganize and redefine economic
development patterns for Detroit Ave – a main thoroughfare of the city.
- The purpose is to bring an identity to the various
districts which make up Detroit Ave.
- One of these districts has been designated a
Cultural Arts District with the Beck Center as the anchor.
- The Streetscape Design project is headed by Lakewood
Community Progress Inc., its Executive Director Mary Anne Crampton, along
with the City of Lakewood. A large number of citizens have provided input.
- Construction on the streetscape will start as
soon as funding becomes available. This could be 5-10 years before it is all
done, or theoretically sooner if the new Ohio state administration decides
to direct funds to maintenance of existing infrastructure. When the Beck starts
its project, the City would work with us to secure funding for its Detroit
Ave. Streetscape aspect.
- With the help of a grant from the City of Lakewood,
we have put together a team of highly qualified architects to collaborate
on some ideas for what a future revitalization project for the Beck Center
could be.
- Representing the architectural firm Westlake
Reed Leskosky is Paul Westlake and Patrick Hyland. And from the Kent State
Urban Design Center, Christopher Diehl and Paul Vernon.
3. Vision for the Future presentation
In order to make the Beck as efficient as possible, here
are moves that should be considered:
- Drain the Annex and LLT storefronts + apartments of Beck Center classrooms
and administrative offices and turn over to leasable spaces (upgrade necessary).
- Consolidate and re-program administration offices + classrooms/studios—build
an efficient addition(s) with these programs.
- Build a new Black Box in order to relieve strain on the Studio Theatre,
Rehearsal Space, and Dance Studio.
- Build + restore leasable venues, like a new Event Space and the original
Lucier Theater, for revenue generation.
- Renovate the back-of-house areas to alleviate floor level differences.
- Consider building a central plant and controls system to avoid HVAC
inefficiencies.
- Re-design parking lot to maximize parking, ease vehicular circulation,
provide safe pedestrian umbilical, and clarify drop-off and pick-up.
In order to re-image and activate the Beck, here are the
moves that should be considered:
- Insert modern infill addition between the existing Lucier Theater building
+ Annex, in order to bring the Beck to the street—proposed transparency.
- Restore the historic building fabrics and activate the storefronts in
the Lucier Theater Building + Annex.
- Place arts-related activity in places of visibility from the street
(Black Box, dance studios, music studios, galleries, coffee shops).
- Build an iconic addition that garners attention, grant visibility, and
advertises the mission and strength of the institution.
- Build an umbilical of classrooms, studios, and circulation that connects
the Armory to the rest of the facility.
4. Summary
- A renovated facility within a mixed-use arts district will offer new
economic vitality and increased tax revenues. This community deserves a high
quality cultural arts destination point. We can do this together with your
support.
- The efforts of the Beck Center represent regionalism at its best. As
this part of the region thrives and grows, it benefits the City of Cleveland
and the surrounding suburbs. What’s good for Lakewood is good for the
region.
- Please take the time to give
us your feedback – we are interested in all of the issues
that are critical to our patrons, students and neighbors.