Theater Works Awarded Grant from Piper Trust

Virginia G. Piper Charitable Trust has awarded a major grant of $224,200 to Theater Works, the managing tenant of the Peoria Center for the Performing Arts, to develop a membership marketing campaign and install a customer relationship management system.

"This grant from Virginia G. Piper Charitable Trust is an important investment in the future of Theater Works, the Peoria Center for the Performing Arts, and the cultural life of the West Valley," commented Daniel Schay, Executive Director of the 26-year old company. "It combines with recent funding from the City of Peoria to help 'reboot' Theater Works after 6 long years of recession."

As Managing Tenant, Theater Works is responsible for the administration, programming, and operating costs of the $12 million, 20,000+ square-foot, 2-stage Peoria Center facility. The City of Peoria committed $350,000 in one-time funding to the company in a vote on June 18, 2013.

In response to the City's support, Theater Works is expanding its programming to include multiple music, dance, cabaret, and comedy events in addition to its long-established MasterWorks series of plays and musicals and its acclaimed YouthWorks Productions, which feature young performers.

"Membership Marketing is the strategy that will allow us to present a unified program of events to the public," commented Schay. Family, Individual, and Corporate memberships will be offered, as at such institutions as art museums, zoos or public broadcasting stations. Members receive advance notice, substantial discounts and other benefits for the entire range of Peoria Center for the Performing Arts programming. The program will be rolled out with the opening of the new season this fall.

An important element of the program is a planned collaboration between Theater Works and the Scottsdale Cultural Council, which will contractually provide the West Valley theater access to its state-of-the-art customer relationship management system. This relationship will provide revenue to the Cultural Council and provide Theater Works a management tool that would be beyond its reach without the collaboration.

A letter from the Theater Works Board of Directors states "We are deeply grateful to Virginia G. Piper Charitable Trust for this important, substantial, and creative grant. It again reflects Piper Trust's leadership in addressing the challenges facing the cultural sector, and also their support for reaching new audiences for the arts."

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