Annual Report 2023-2024
TABLE OF CONTENTS 01.
08.
15.
Report Cover
Story of the Year and
Donate Today
02. Table of Contents
Project Highlight
09. STEAM
16. Ways to Support
03.
10.
17.
Message from our
Message from our Chief
Financials
Executive Director
Development Officer
04. Message from our Board Director
11. Thank you to our loyal supporters
05.
12.
New strategic Mission and
Performers Features
Vision
06. Our Goals
13. Donor Feature
07.
14.
Impact by the Numbers
Artist in Residence Feature
18. Fun Facts
WELCOME Pablo Center is successfully delivering our sixth season to the Chippewa Valley. In reflection, it is amazing to believe that less than a decade ago the concept of a new performing Arts Center located at the Confluence of the Eau Claire and Chippewa Rivers, the very heart of Eau Claire, had just materialized as a shared thought. Led by Clear Vision Eau Claire in 2014 construction for a new performing Arts Center, the then titled Confluence Project, became the focus of an Up/Down referendum for one-time taxpayer funding. The public concept of what would become Pablo Center at the Confluence inspired an entire community to create a space for the arts. This facility, a facility that started as a dream, has faced many unique hurdles and challenges from its inception through our current season. You as our donors, members, sponsors, guests, and artists have forged us with a shared vision into the true creative economic engine of Northwest Wisconsin. Pablo Center currently has a staff of 135 employees, hosts 300+ ticketed events each year, and hosts 100,000+ guests annually. The City of Eau Claire has experienced record downtown growth since the announcement of this project, helping Eau Claire County to be ranked #1 in 2023 for new construction by percentage in the state. Pablo Center has been a leader in national efforts to track the impact of the arts, like the America for the Arts, Arts & Economic Prosperity study. In a comparative analysis from 2015 to 2022 this study quantifies our local creative growth at $15MM over those 7 years. The total collected sales tax revenue from Pablo Center is quickly eclipsing the one-time taxpayer investment in this project.
Jason Jon Anderson EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Please look at the 2022 collected tax revenue numbers alone: Local Tax Revenue (City and County): $500K State Tax Revenue: $951,628 Pablo Center currently receives no ongoing taxbased funding from the municipalities, counties, or state we serve. Compared to our peer institutions across the state and nation, this places Pablo Center at a severe disadvantage while also making us less accessible. Together we have all helped us make the first five years of Pablo Center a success. The growth and benefit to the Chippewa Valley is quantifiable. Annual ongoing tax-based funding support is the last critical missing piece to Pablo Center and the economic engine we are fueling. Economic Growth leads to opportunity and opportunity allows each of us to Dream, Create, and Inspire. On behalf of the Pablo Center staff, we thank you for your support and look forward to hosting you as our guest at Pablo Center soon.
Jason Jon Anderson
Executive Director, Pablo Center
A VISION FOR THE FUTURE As the Confluence Council reflects on our first five years in operation, we acknowledge the full and part-time staff, community members, donors, patrons, performers, program participants, Board, and Committee members who have helped Pablo Center turn vision into reality, overcome countless challenges, and create meaningful, lasting change within its communities. Thank you! Shifting focus from the process, procedures, and struggle for survival that frequent fledgling organizations, Pablo Center embarked upon a year-long, formal strategic planning process in mid-2022 to gain greater clarity of purpose and the requisite steps to fulfill its promise. We first worked on developing new Mission and Vision Statements that provide a powerful narrative and clear parameters through which we will prioritize effort and measure outcomes. We began capturing, sifting, and analyzing valuable survey data and interview feedback, aided by our strategic planning consultant, hundreds of community members, and dozens of volunteers. The culmination of this effort is written into Pablo Center’s new Mission and Vision, and has determined the adoption of four major strategic objectives and their associated goals this past Spring. Our effort over the next four years will be centered around strengthening Pablo Center’s partnerships, workplace environment, communication, and financial stability.
Samir Murty BOARD DIRECTOR
The Mission, Vision, and Strategic Plan are necessary parts aspirational, inspirational, and practical. Pablo Center was never just a building made of bricks and mortar. It’s a living, breathing idea animated by people who work, study, participate, volunteer, and attend. In a short five years, beyond the many wonderful music, comedy, and theater performances attended by over a half million people, Pablo Center has played a pivotal role in launching the Wisconsin Shakespeare Festival, creating new First Robotics, Lego Mindstorm, and Girls Who Code programs, hosting summer STEAM programs for hundreds of schoolaged children. And yet together there is so much more we can accomplish. Partnering with Pablo Center can create a legacy for generations to come. Let us join together to realize ideas and concepts unimagined, bring this Vision to life, and build stronger communities and a more enlightened world.
Samir Murty
Board President, Confluence Council
NEW MISSION Pablo Center at the Confluence welcomes, connects, inspires, and transforms, motivated by the belief that through art, education, and entertainment we can build stronger communities and a more enlightened world.
NEW VISION We envision Pablo Center at the Confluence as an inclusive, impactful, and sustainable arts center that welcomes all who live in the Chippewa Valley region and beyond to participate in a wide variety of programs and events that make the community a destination and lift up all those who participate. In this vision, Pablo Center will serve as the regional collaboration point and educational hub for arts in northwest Wisconsin. Pablo Center continues to drive the development of the Chippewa Valley and particularly downtown Eau Claire, working closely with the University and other partners to be a catalyst for change and an attractor that brings a diversity of people and businesses to the region. In achieving this vision, Pablo Center will be a leading force in nurturing art in all its forms as an incubator, partner, and sponsor. Its spaces are active with a wide variety of well-attended presentations, exhibitions, events, educational programs, and community gatherings. Pablo Center is also active outside its main building, supporting events and programs in other locations throughout the region. In this fully realized state, Pablo Center is in a strong and stable financial position, with the resources and reserves necessary to book a variety of talented artists and to make its spaces available to local and regional artists and cultural organizations. Finally, Pablo Center achieves this vision with a strong and diverse staff and leadership that allows the organization to stay deeply connected and engaged with the community it serves.
OUR GOALS Building fundraising skills and resources will enable Pablo Center to retire the debt, build endowments and reserves, and ensure that Pablo Center is accessible to all. Becoming a more effective and transparent communicator will help Pablo Center deliver more value as well as gain recognition for value delivered; becoming a better communicator will build and sustain a broader regional base of customers, and in turn, motivate more financial support from those we communicate with. Becoming a more effective and transparent communicator will help Pablo Center become a better employer and partner. Becoming Eau Claire’s favorite partner would allow Pablo Center to strengthen the strategic partnership with UWEC and integrate Pablo Center more deeply into the life of the community, advance worthy projects, and essentially become indispensable to the community and region. Investing in the structure and systems would allow Pablo Center to become the best place to work and volunteer in Eau Claire to promote a culture of collaboration and service, build a regional arts workforce, and create a larger more diverse leadership team.
IMPACT BY THE NUMBERS Membership Numbers
Number of Shows
The number of memberships grew dramatically in FY 22 after three years of slower growth!
Over the first four years of operations, shows dropped dramatically from the opening season due to the pandemic, but have since rebounded.
1,250 Number of Shows
300
1,000
250
750
200 150
500
100
250
50
0
Season 1
Season 2
Season 3
Season 4
Season 5
0
Season 1
Season 2
Season 3
Season 4
Season 5
Donations
Number of Donors
Donations almost doubled in FY 2022 after a moderate increase in FY 2021.
Through active stewardship, we continue to attract new donors.
$3,500,000
7,000
$3,000,000
6,000
$2,500,000
5,000
$2,000,000 $1,500,000
4,000
$1,000,000
3,000
$500,000
2,000
4
5 Se as on
3 Se as on
Se as on
2
Se as on
Se as on
1
$0
1,000 0
Season 1
Season 2
Season 3
Season 4
Season 5
Number of Tickets Sold
Ticket Sales
Attendance dropped dramatically for presented events through the pandemic, but are now rebounding!
The decline and return of ticket sales for presented events reflects the fall and rise of shows presented and the slow return of audiences.
Season 1
$3,500,000
Ticket Sales
$3,000,000
Season 2
$2,500,000 $2,000,000
Season 3
$1,500,000
Season 4
$1,000,000 $500,000
Season 5 0
20,000
40,000
60,000
80,000
100,000
$0
Season 1
Season 2
Season 3
Season 4
Season 5
STORY OF THE YEAR The First Wisconsin Shakespeare Festival debuted in 2023 at Pablo Center, focusing on the power of words and storytelling. It aimed to empower artists, enlighten the community, and explore Shakespeare's themes without compromising production quality. The Festival included a mainstage production of "A Midsummer Night's Dream," a new works series, a young performers' troupe, workshops, and a partnership with UWEC. UW-Eau Claire, a founding partner of Pablo Center, offers students educational opportunities, performance access, and internships. UWEC students play a crucial role in Festival development, with THEA 300 class collaborations and paid internships in various areas. Jen Zwicky, WSF Managing Director since late 2022, prioritizes engaging UWEC students in arts education beyond classrooms. In partnership with the Chippewa Valley Writers Guild, the Festival introduced "Some Ten Words: A Collection of Theatre Stories" to encourage theatremakers to share their experiences. It also supported young performers through the Merely Players program, providing stipends and fostering arts in the community. The Festival partnered with the Eau Claire Area School District to offer free summer theatre classes, and the collaboration expanded to include summer school theatre classes. The Merely Players troupe of 11 actors and technicians toured Shakespeare-inspired works, shadowing professionals and attending workshops. The Festival continues to provide enriching summer programming for Eau Claire and the region.
STEAM Our STEAM programs (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math) provide a safe place for people to learn and feel more independent while learning strategy, cooperation skills, team building, and more. “In some ways, children have forgotten how to dream. Our programs allow kids to connect to the very things that make themselves and our society great. We promote awe and wonder and help them to think about what it would be like to put a robot on Mars.” - JJA “I wanted to stay inside my comfort zone. I found myself going to the Pablo Center because it has robotics. I learned how to do strategy, competition skills, team building, and how to be a lot more social and I got over my social anxiety which was a big part of why I couldn’t make friends when I was younger.” - Caleb “I have more confidence and I am coming out of my shell.” - FLL/FRC Student “The impact on students is huge. It’s an exposure that they don’t get otherwise. We came back from competition and they were full of ideas- they didn’t want to stop.” - New Auburn Teacher/Mentor
Join Pablo Center for a wide range of fun-filled programs for students from building robots and coding to designing art and exploring theater. Pablo Center's summer school programming offers challenging and engaging classes for your student to explore new topics and build new passions.
Interested in our STEAM Programs? CONTACT OUR STEAM PROGRAMS MANAGER AT 715-471-6133
THANK YOU I’d like to take a moment to express our deepest gratitude to you, our cherished donors and patrons, for your unwavering support and commitment to the mission of Pablo Center. Your generosity has played a pivotal role in making Pablo Center a resounding success, and we are thrilled to share the impact of your contributions in this annual report.
Your belief in the idea of Pablo Center is what propels us forward.Please know that your impact goes far beyond the numbers and figures. It is a beacon of hope, a source of inspiration, and a testament to the collective strength of our community. Once again, thank you for your invaluable support! With heartfelt gratitude,
Your belief in our mission over the past 5 years and in the face of unprecedented challenges has empowered us to continue our vital work, reaching new heights and touching countless lives along the way. Your donations have fueled innovative projects, enabled meaningful collaborations, and brought about possibilities and new opportunities to our community. You will find inspiring stories in this report, compelling statistics that reflect the tangible outcomes of your support, and an overview of the initiatives made possible through your generosity. Your dedication to making a difference is evident in every success story and milestone achieved throughout the past five years. None of this would be possible without donors and patrons like you. Your commitment to the mission of Pablo Center is not just a financial investment, it is an investment in the betterment of our shared future.
Monica Frederick CHIEF DEVELOPMENT OFFICER
Monica Frederick
Chief Development Officer, Pablo Center
THANK YOU TO OUR LOYAL SUPPORTERS
“Our commitment to enriching our community with and through the arts is unwavering.”
Our donors make an important impact on our community. We are improving and changing lives in the Chippewa Valley and beyond through donor support. We are incredibly grateful to have people who give so generously to help support arts and innovation. The past five years have been filled with unknowns, but we know one thing: our commitment to enriching our community with and through the arts is unwavering. This would not be possible without our donors. There are not enough ways to say “thank you” for your philanthropy, but we hope this impact report overview will show the difference being made at Pablo Center and beyond. Donor generosity is changing the arts for the better and we hope this report puts the amazing spirit of our donor support in the spotlight!
PERFORMER FEATURE Ben Seidman
“I love Pablo. It is truly one of my favorite places to perform. The venues are fantastic, and the support of the crew and in-house team is unparalleled.”
Amos Lee
“I get why people come here to live and make music. I travel to a lot of places and this is a place that has one of those special spirits. You all are lucky to have this beautiful venue.”
DONOR FEATURE Brady and Jeanne Foust Donate $1 Million In September of 2021, Brady and Jeanne Foust donated $1 million to Pablo Center’s Turn It Up To Eleven Campaign. With this gift, Pablo Center permanently renamed the Graham Avenue Gallery to the Brady & Jeanne Foust Gallery. Highly accessible and located on the first floor of Pablo Center, the Brady & Jeanne Foust Gallery highlights exhibits inspired by our community. All who walk through the halls of Pablo Center deepen their appreciation of the Chippewa Valley as they enjoy student art exhibits, and themed exhibits inspired by our region’s flora, fauna, and folks. “We are honored to be able to provide this gift to Pablo Center,” says Brady and Jeanne Foust. “Support of the arts is one of our passions. Pablo is one of the gems in the redevelopment of downtown Eau Claire and has already become a great recruiting tool attracting people and businesses to our wonderful city.” For Executive Director Jason Jon Anderson, the Fousts’ gift can be described in three words, “Incredible lasting legacy.” Brady and Jeanne Foust have been passionate advocates for the Pablo Center since the inception of the Confluence Project. They helped secure countless pledges ensuring the project’s construction. With this tremendous gift, they ensure a lasting legacy to the fine, visual, and performing arts of the region as well as for the 100,000+ guests Pablo Center welcomes each year. Their legacy will live on to impact our community for many generations to come.
"During these past couple of years, it has been fun to see people arriving and leaving the Pablo Center while enjoying the various art shows that have been in the Foust Gallery. We especially love seeing young people and children stopping to take a look at the works of art. How wonderful is that? Thank you to the staff of the Pablo Center for making it such an inviting venue."
Brady and Jeanne Foust
ARTIST IN RESIDENCE FEATURE
"
“My experience at the Pablo Center in Eau Claire, WI, was nothing short of transformative. As an artist from outside of Wisconsin, I had the privilege of sharing my work in this vibrant artistic space. The residency not only allowed me to explore my creative boundaries and provided space to create large-scale works but also fostered meaningful connections with fellow artists and residents. Through the live painting sessions and exhibition, I had the opportunity to interact with the local audience, engaging in conversations, and fostering an art appreciation. This exchange of ideas and perspectives deeply informed my artistic practice and I hope, added to the cultural tapestry of Eau Claire as well. This opportunity highlights the invaluable role of art residency in nurturing creativity and fostering community connections.” - Sapira Cheuk
Drawing from the wondrous and the everyday of Chippewa Valley, artist Sapira Cheuk created a 30ft brush painting onsite at the Pablo Center. Visitors talked with the artist and then Sapira incorporated the impressions and visual interpretations gleaned from conversations with guests during the live event. Utilizing traditional Chinese Sumi ink techniques and contemporary iconography, Cheuk created a unique interpretation inspired by the surrounding area and her exchanges with visitors.
Eau Claire is a beautiful place. Throughout my visit, I kept thinking how lucky I was to be enveloped in the plentiful green of the forest and the sparkling blue of the rivers. Coming from a desert, I live in a culture that reveres water. Thus, at first, seeing the lushness, I was so entranced that I forgot all about Wisconsin’s logging past. Yet, the longer I immersed myself in this particular beauty, the more its history slowly crept back into view. The remnants of past industries slowly bleed in when one starts to look: the studs of an old dock in the water, dams built for log transport long ago, little motifs of wood grains everywhere. What makes a place, a place? Is it the residents, the landmarks, the industry, or a secret mix of something else? In this work, I began with the idea that we as people are inherently ephemeral. We build things in hopes that they last longer than us. While many do, the race toward modernity drives us toward change. When we are gone, what remains? The river and the land will hold our stories and our lives as a part of them, but not as the thing that defines them. This work is an attempt to trace the shifting dialectic or conversation between the natural environment and the people who live here, as it shifts over time. No definitive answer is possible, so instead, this piece is an observation, an exercise, the tracing of a process.
The Rivers Hold Our Stories The Chippewa Valley June, 2023 Ink, pencil, and watercolor on paper
DONATE TODAY Performing Arts The events at Pablo Center amaze and inspire audiences of all ages, identities, interests, and backgrounds. Performances range from regional, national, and international arts presenters. These performances are made possible because of what takes place both on and off stage. Donations to “Performing Arts” funds support the people and partners who ensure “the show must go on!” From stipends for young actors to partnerships with more than 10 local arts groups, donations to “Performing Arts” funds fuel Pablo Center’s greatest asset- performances!
Visual Arts With three year-round galleries and a resident art collection on display throughout the building, Pablo Center at the Confluence is the premier place in the Chippewa Valley to engage with and view the visual arts. Donations to “Visual Arts” funds support exhibitions of our region’s master creators, artist leaders, teachers, and even high school art exhibits. There are currently over 300 works of art in Pablo Center’s Permanent Art Collection - a collection that proudly inspires touring artists and deepens their appreciation of the Chippewa Valley’s natural beauty, history, and current creative culture.
Pablo Center Building Join us in ensuring that the vision and aspirations for Pablo Center are continued through the stewardship of this world-renowned facility. To maintain the structural, technical, and aesthetic quality of this spectacular 135,000 sq ft facility, we rely on donations from our community. Ticket sales and other earned income cover 80 percent of costs, the balance comes from people like you who believe in our mission to enrich and develop opportunities to experience the performing, literary, and visual arts for people of all ages and backgrounds. Donations to this fund will be recognized on the Pablo Center’s Legacy Wall.
Education Pablo Center offers educational programming that encompasses subjects from fine art and drama, design and literature, to coding and robotics. The STEAM approach (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, Math) reminds us that innovation in any discipline requires creativity. Donations to “Education” support more than 10 programs that reflect our values of Possibilities, Partnership, and Access. From free summer programs for youth to artist classroom visits, Robotics Club, or ARTMobile, support for Pablo Center’s educational programming helps expand opportunities for the arts in our region.
WAYS TO SUPPORT Donate at checkout: Add a separate donation to Pablo Center when purchasing show tickets. Your gift supports the arts and is tax-deductible. Donate online, anytime: Easily fund your passion for Pablo Center with one-time or monthly donations through our donor portal. Become a member: Join our passionate arts community by becoming a member. Enjoy special benefits while supporting our mission. Pledge gifts: Commit to supporting Pablo Center with pledge gifts, allowing you to spread your giving over multiple years for larger philanthropic goals. Sponsorship opportunities: Individuals, businesses, and foundations can partner with us through various sponsorship opportunities to support our mission. Annual Fund Drive: Help us remove financial barriers to arts engagement by contributing generously to our Annual Fund Drive. Your support makes art accessible to all. Name-A-Seat: Make a $5,000 tax-deductible contribution to have a name engraved on a seat plaque in the RCU Theatre, preserving your legacy. Gift Cards: Give the gift of Pablo Center with a gift card! Pablo Center offers an array of educational and entertaining performances, something for everyone to enjoy. They are available for purchase online or by contacting boxoffice@pablocenter.org.
Head to www.pablocenter.org/gifts or scan the QR code to give today!
FINANCIALS Pablo Center at the Confluence Statements of Financial Position June 30, 2023 Assets
Liabilities and Net Assets
Current Assets:
Current Liabilities:
Cash
$1,847,945.00
Current Maturities of Notes Payable
$36,447.00
Receivables (Accounts/Grants/Pledges)
$225,810.00
Current portion of Lease Liability
$43,823.00
Prepaid Expenses
$122,330.00
Accounts Payable
$352,534.00
Accrued Expenses
$73,727.00
Deferred Revenue
$670,968.00
Total Current Assets
$2,196,085.00
Noncurrent Assets: Restricted Asset - Cash
Refundable Advance
$511,200.00
Building Reserve
$100,000.00
Total Current Liabilities
$1,788,699.00
$659,310.00
Pledges Receivable
$153,700.00
Right of Use Asset (Operating Leases, Net)
$9,700,439.00
Capital Assets:
Noncurrent Liabilities:
Building Improvements
$220,205.00
Notes Payable
$466,474.00
Furniture and Equipment
$529,865.00
Lease Liability
$10,070,215.00
Less - Accumulated Depreciation
$(261,152.00) Total Noncurrent Liabilities
$10,536,689.00
Total Capital Assets, Net of Accumulated Depreciation
$488,918.00
Total Noncurrent Assets
$11,002,367.00
TOTAL LIABILITIES
$12,325,388.00
TOTAL ASSETS
$13,198,452.00
Net Assets: Without Donor Restrictions: Board Designated
$631,419.00
Undesignated
$(538,620.00)
With Donor Restrictions
$780,265.00
TOTAL NET ASSETS
$873,064.00
TOTAL LIABILITIES AND NET ASSETS
$13,198,452.00
FUN FACTS
+900
+30
Over 30 different types of shows including broadway, comedy, and so much more!
+6,500 +1,000
12
community partnerships
Over 900 shows have happened at Pablo since we opened!
Total number of donors since before Pablo Center opened is nearly 7,000!
We have served over 1,000 children since we opened our STEAM educational courses.
334
pieces of artwork in our permanent collection
+10
educational programs for the general public
Broadway: Usually, it takes about 5 years of successful operations before Broadway considers a venue. We received our first Broadway show during Season 2. Technology/Sound: All venues inside Pablo Center have state-of-the-art technology. The RCU Theatre ranks in the top 10% in the world for acoustic and amplified sound. It is like having the Sydney Opera House right here in Eau Claire! STEAM Courses: First Robotics (high school competition team in Eau Claire and New Auburn, Lego Robotics (elementary and middle school), coding, language arts, music education, science, engineering, and even culinary (partnership with CVTC). Economic Development: The NIVA study shows that because of Pablo Center, $250M of additional economic development has happened in Eau Claire. We are on track to generate an additional $39M by the end of this current season. COVID-19: During COVID-19, we served over 200 children at Pablo. We created Learning Pods to assist children during their virtual days of school. They could come to Pablo, where we helped with their virtual classes. We also taught STEAM workshops while they were in the building. UWEC: Pablo Center has an incredible partner with UWEC. The entire theatre department from UWEC operates inside Pablo Center. Classes and performances happen in Pablo Center. Recruitment: Employers from all over the Chippewa Valley bring potential employees on a tour of Pablo Center to showcase what Eau Claire has to offer.