The news over the holiday break was chock-a-block with tidbits about performing arts centers, especially those in smaller markets. Just as Kansas City was announcing resident companies for a $304-million performing arts center (see architectural renderings here), a PAC in Saratoga Springs, New York, was reeling from a scathing outside assessment of its management practices (I’m sure it didn’t help their spirits that the story hit the New York Times, as well).
The Saratoga report flagged the organization for shaky executive compensation, expense reimbursement, poor planning, and inadequate financial controls. Among other problems was a $200,000 low-interest loan to the center’s president, the $70,000 salary he gave his wife to be development director, and the no-limit expense account he enjoyed for meals and entertainment.
The newspaper editorial that followed the report’s release was quick to support the benefits of a community performing arts center, using much of the same language that probably encouraged the project in Kansas City:
SPAC is one of the jewels of Saratoga Springs and a draw for the entire Capital District. Its existence contributes to the economic well-being of this community, and not only during the warm months when the amphitheater is open. Being the summer home to the New York City Ballet and the Philadelphia Orchestra contributes to Saratoga Springs’ year-round appeal as a lively place with a mix of cultural offerings.
Community jewel. Draw for tourism and economic activity. Reinforcing a positive sense of place. The triple-crown of supporting arguments for any town’s performing arts center.
Meanwhile, in Los Angeles, Frank Gehry’s swooping, shiny Walt Disney Concert Hall is discovering that it has a different type of impact on its immediate community: heat and light:
The brilliant rays blind drivers, pedestrians and nearby residents, and create sauna-like conditions in condominiums and businesses. Temperatures on the sidewalks surrounding the hall have been measured at up to 138 degrees.
Perhaps it goes to show that when you’re building a beacon for cultural activity, you should also install a dimmer switch.
