Washington Center for the Performing Arts seeks to complete major building improvements

On Tuesday, the Washington Center for the Performing Arts' leader gave an update on the current building improvements after it had closed down for 15 months following the coronavirus pandemic.

In a presentation, Jill Barnes, the Center’s executive director, shared during the Tumwater City Council meeting on June 15 that the recent building improvements are the most comprehensive changes in the Center since it opened in 1985.

A previous renovation, in 2014, made repairs and improvements to the building’s exterior. The current and planned improvements are interior, mostly for the backstage and performance areas.

The current capital campaign aims at improvements that total $8.6 million. At this stage, the Center has completed 89 percent of the project.

Phase I improvements included backstage upgrades such as the rigging system, the lighting system, and the audio system. Barnes also shared that the Center is open for anyone who wants to use the upgraded facilities, especially among local artists.

Phase two will cover public spaces such as the lobby area and the concession stands. Moreover, they are also planning to purchase at least a thousand new seats to replace the old ones. Barnes added they need to raise close to one million dollars to make the final improvements. 

Barnes explained the Washington Center has tapped a variety of funding sources to finance the projects. Funds came from businesses, individuals, institutional grants, and state grants. In terms of municipal support, the executive director noted that the city of Olympia had given 3.8 million, and the city of Tumwater with $100,000. Barnes said that they are still awaiting confirmation from the city of Lacey regarding the proposal.

However, while the Center was able to raise the majority of the funds needed to make the improvements, Barnes admitted that they struggled to maintain their operations because of the pandemic.

She shared that they lost 90 percent of the center’s revenue and had to reduce their staff by up to 83 percent.

Barnes continued that they were able to adapt to the changes by using new technology and partnering with local organizations such as the Harlequin Productions and the Indigenous Performance Productions to host virtual performances.

To help raise the necessary funds, the Center plans to hold a virtual gala which they plan to announce soon. “Let’s get back to life, and back to live performances,” Barnes shared.