Fox Cities Performing Arts Center Celebrates Its 15th Birthday

On November 25, 2002, the Fox Cities Performing Arts Center opened its doors to the public for the first time. Since the beginning, the Center has pursued a mission to be a gathering place for the community to engage in educational opportunities and enhance understanding and enjoyment of life through the creation and presentation of the arts.

Thanks to the encouragement of the community, support of both individual and business partners, commitment of Season Ticket Holders and the dedication of staff, board of directors and volunteers, the Center is celebrating 15 years of bringing top touring performances, educational experiences and engaging arts activities to the Fox Cities and beyond.

"As we look back on our 15 years of memorable moments at the Center, I am even more excited to think about the many ways we will continue to build partnerships and programs that inspire and engage our community," said Fox Cities P.A.C. president Maria Van Laanen. "From welcoming a new generation of kids through our education series to developing new initiatives and growing our current programs, I can't wait for more of our community to enjoy exceptional live experiences with us."

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Fifteen facts about the Fox Cities P.A.C. history

1. The Center has welcomed more than 2.4 million people through its doors since opening in 2002.

2. The Fox Cities P.A.C. has been home to more than 1,800 public ticketed events.

3. The Center has served as home to more than 200 nonprofit and community groups for performances, meetings, fundraisers, special events and more. The Center is home to performances of resident partners, the Fox Valley Symphony Orchestra and Lawrence University and other notable events include serving as headquarters for Mile of Music, ThedaCare's P.A.R.T.Y. at the P.A.C. and Tundraland's Windows for a Cause among countless others.

4. The Education Series has welcomed more than 340,000 students to watch their classroom lessons come to life on stage with ticket prices remaining at $5-$7 since the series' inception.

5. The Center has engaged more than 100,000 people in activities designed to provide a more in-depth look at the arts. This includes artist residencies, such as it gets better (2015) and Spectrum Dance Theater (2017), that use the arts as a platform to engage residents in important conversations.

6. More than 10,000 scholarship tickets have been provided to assist people who have financial barriers in experiencing the arts.

7. Waitress will be the Center's 32nd Wisconsin Broadway premiere performance. The 2017-18 Season will also bring Wisconsin premiere number 33 with An American in Paris.

8. At any given time the Center has more than 400 volunteers who contribute more than 26,000 hours each year. Sixty of whom have been volunteers since the Center opened in 2002.

9. The Frank C. Shattuck Performing Arts Touch the Hearts of Students (P.A.T.H.S.) program, engages at-risk students through the arts in themed programs, turned 12 this year. The program offers life-changing moments for students and access to world-class, live Broadway and cultural arts experiences.

10. The Broadway League's Family First Nights program is in its tenth year at the Fox Cities P.A.C. and has engaged more than 100 families who have attended more than 30 performances together.

11. The Center is in its sixth year as a member of the Kennedy Center Partners in Education program with the Appleton Area School District which offers workshops for local teachers to learn how to integrate arts as an additional teaching tool into their classroom lessons.

12. Accessibility is an important part of being a gathering place for all and as such, the Center installed a T-coil hearing loop in both Thrivent Financial Hall and the Kimberly Clark Theater in addition to the ticket office lobby in 2012. The Fox Cities P.A.C. is the only Broadway-presenting theater in the state of Wisconsin to have this technology, which allows patrons with t-coil hearing aids to listen directly to the Center's sound system for a fuller live performance experience.

13. The Center continues to celebrate the arts in schools and recognizes our local high school students. The Fox Cities Choral Music Festival recently completed its fourteenth year and the Center Stage High School Musical Theater Awards program is in the middle of its second season.

14. More than 70 individuals and businesses have invested in the Center's mission for 15 consecutive years.

15. In its most recent economic impact study, Americans for the Arts found the Fox Cities P.A.C. generates $12.9 million in economic activity in the Fox Valley annually.

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The Fox Cities Performing Arts Center, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit arts and cultural education organization located in downtown Appleton, provides a premier venue for live performing arts. Since 2002, the Center has proudly served as a gathering place for the community to engage in educational opportunities while enhancing a greater understanding and appreciation of life through the live performing arts. The Fox Cities Performing Arts Center - Where the Arts Come Alive!