2016-17 Season in Review

THE WASHINGTON CENTER FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS

2016-17 Season in Review

I love seeing humanity expressed in so many ways by professionals and amateurs alike.

-Tim Coley, donor and subscriber

Volunteer surpasses 200 hours in one season Volunteers are ambassadors for The

Kat Will, 2016-17 recipient of the Al Rynties Volunteer Excellence Award

Having live performances adds culture to the community, and The Washington Center in particular adds a touch of class.

-Linda Moon, donor and subscriber

Washington Center. They are typically the first contact patrons have when they come through our doors for any performance or event, whether it’s a local dance recital or touring artist.

“We take pride in our volunteers being professional, attentive, and great communicators,” says Jill Barnes, Executive Director.

One way that The Washington Center shows appreciation to our volunteers is through our annual Al Rynties Volunteer Excellence Award.

This award was created to honor Al’s embodiment of putting service above self. Recipients of the award are nominated and selected by our volunteers themselves.

The recipient of the 2016-17 Al Rynties Volunteer Excellence Award was Kat Will. Barnes glowingly shares, “Kat helps to make our patrons’ evenings as comfortable as possible, and she has fun in the process.” Many patrons and fellow volunteers describe

To join The Center’s volunteer program, visit washingtoncenter.org/volunteers

Our mission: To inspire audiences and artists of all ages through live performances, enriching the vibrancy of our community.

2016-17 Season at a Glance Tickets sold

61,278

Ticket revenue

$1,552,380

Total performances and events

180

308 volunteers donated 7,823 hours Kat as devoted, accommodating, quick-witted, and charming. She is always available to help a patron find their seat or assist staff with various projects, often taking on an assortment of accents, keeping all around entertained. Kat’s volunteer goal was 150 hours of service; she accomplished 200 hours by the end of the season!

In the 2016-17 season, over 300 dedicated volunteers donated 7,823 hours to The Washington Center.

These hours translate into over $188,000 in value to the community!

Sold-out shows

15

Total Visitors

Over 100,000 Total Revenue

$2,839,750 Total Expenses

$2,783,658

Master Teaching Artist Eric Skinner brought “freewheeling imagination through dance” to local Avanti High School students.

Creative Connections: Education & Outreach in the Arts To learn more about the Creative Connections program, including educational outreach workshops and The Anacker Scholarship for the Arts, visit washingtoncenter.org/ creative-connections

This season, students from Avanti

High School were invited to participate in a series of four workshops over five weeks with BodyVox Master Teaching Artist, Eric Skinner. Each week, the students joined Skinner in the Black Box theater at The Washington Center, where he would take them through a series of dance and movement exercises designed to encourage “freewheeling imagination through dance.”

The workshops were a part of The Center’s Creative Connections program, a collection of educational and outreach opportunities made possible with funding from grants and donors.

“I had an amazing experience with Avanti,” said Skinner, “The kids were really involved and had a great time.” His greatest takeaway from the workshop was teaching the students games and experiences that were movement based. Many of the alternative high school students face physical or mental barriers in their lives. Through programs like The Center’s Creative Connections, Avanti High School is able to provide personalized learning through creativity and innovation, emphasizing high standards for all students within an interdisciplinary structure.

Participating students were equally invested in the fun and success of the program. Spencer Beetle, a local student said, “I’ve never been comfortable with physical movement, and with dancing especially. (This workshop) made me much more comfortable with that. It taught me that I didn’t have to be the most graceful person in the room to be able to dance, and I didn’t have to be able to do every dance move to be able to dance. It was just a lovely, invigorating, thoughtful experience.”

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Thank you!

The Washington Center for the Performing Arts is a 501(c) 3 private non-profit corporation.

I wish for my gift to remain anonymous I have included The Washington Center in my estate plan Please send me information about how I can include The Washington Center in my estate plan My employer will match this gift Mail to: The Washington Center for the Performing Arts 512 Washington St. SE Olympia, WA 98501

Ensuring a long-term future for the arts While school and work have shaped

the course of life for Monty Cobb and his wife, Wendy, the arts provided marvelous backdrops and scenery along the way. Both Monty and Wendy have sung with local choirs and groups around the state, including performing on The Washington Center stage in a joint Masterworks Choral Ensemble/ Harstine Island Community Choir

performance of “Circle Song.”

Monty also dabbles in local theater, playing roles that have included Felix Unger in The Odd Couple and Teddy in Arsenic and Old Lace. While their careers have moved from agriculture to law and nursing respectively, Monty and Wendy have always come back to the arts and theater. “There’s just something about good music and theater. It lets you step out of your everyday world and be somewhere else for a moment.

You get to let go.”

Monty and Wendy moved to the Shelton area in 2003 after living in several other regions of the state.

“We’ve made this area our home,” he says. “We’re annual Friends donors to The Washington Center, and we love the facility and what the organization does for the quality of life here.” For Monty and Wendy, it seemed natural to designate The Washington Center

The Washington Center has a range of gift planning opportunities that allow you to make a lasting difference while meeting your financial and philanthropic goals.

To learn more, contact us at (360) 753-8585 x103 or development@washingtoncenter.org

Who we serve 53% of

patrons receive free or reduced admission.

53% 47% Full Price Tickets

16% 19% 19% Education Senior and Discounts Military Discounts

Other Discounts

as a beneficiary for one of their insurance policies. Monty says, “Designating a beneficiary doesn’t cost you anything more today. At some point in the future, it will do The Washington Center more benefit than what we could accomplish with only our annual donation today.

Both kinds of support are vital to an organization like this.”

The Washington Center recognizes donors who make planned gifts through The Ovation Society.

These types of gifts may include a designation through a will, trust, qualified retirement plan, or IRA. “Our designation shows our confidence in the organization,” says Monty. “We believe The Washington Center is doing good work now, and we expect them to be relevant well into the future.”

Monty Cobb, who recently joined the Ovation Society with his wife Wendy

34 Artistic and

39% of ticket buyers

live outside of Olympia

22%

Non-Olympia Thurston County Residents

61% Olympia Residents

17%

Outside of Thurston County

Community Partners Received $69,450 in rental subsidies and make up 59% of total ticket sales

30% Washington Center Presented Events

11% Rentals

59% Artistic and Community Partner Presented Events

Alex Bunn, Board Chair

Sincerely,

The Washington Center was built by the community to serve as a local asset. Over thirty years have passed, and we have built not only an asset, but a treasure.

With 180 events at The Center each year, there is always something exciting happening. On behalf of our Board of Directors, thank you for being an important part of every experience.

year, over 100,000 people come to The Washington Center, with many patrons dining out before or after a show, and shopping at local stores.

A letter from the Board Chair This past season has been one of growth and excitement at The Washington Center. As our fiscal year (July through June) comes to a close, I’m delighted to share a solid year of financial growth and ongoing stability. We rely on many sources, the most significant being individuals like you who purchase tickets and sustain our annual operations through donations and sponsorships.

The arts and culture play a critical role in our lives. From giving us an outlet to express creativity to learning empathy for others, having access to the arts raises our quality of life in the region. At The Washington Center, we create a social space for interaction with one another and the exchange of ideas. The arts also play a critical role in the economy and tourism. Each

Photo: Josie Reeves; Cover photos: Olympia Junior Programs students from Boston Harbor Elementary; BodyVox, ©Lois Greenfield; Ballet Northwest students at the 2016 Center Stage Awards & Gala ©Kathy Strauss

Box Office: (360) 753-8586 Administrative Office: (360) 753-8585 washingtoncenter.org

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