Harris Center Host's Open House as a Part of Fifth Anniversary Celebration

The Harris Center for the Arts at Folsom Lake College opened five years ago, and while the facility has seen over 1500 performances and three quarter million visitors, very few people have gotten backstage to see how this national caliber arts facility works. To commemorate the anniversary, the Harris Center for the Arts is throwing open the doors and inviting the community in to discover the facility front stage and back.

On Saturday, March 12, 2016, from 9 am to 3 pm, the Harris Center's Open House will offer a chance to get a "behind-the-scenes" look at the Center and its operations, while learning about the many programs that bring it to life. A family-friendly event for all ages, members of the community can attend for the entire day, or just come for an hour or two. Admission and parking is free. Among the activities planned for the day are tours of the facility, an Arts Organization Fair with representatives from over 20 community groups that perform in the facility, as well as Folsom Lake College educational arts programs, a 5th Anniversary Exhibit in the Center's Bank of America Gallery that provides an overview of the Center's development, construction and first five years of programs, some "Tech talks" throughout the day on the Center's Acoustics, Digital Sound Systems, Computerized Theatrical Lighting Systems, Recording Studio, Theatrical Flying System, Orchestra Lift, as well as How Touring Artists Are Booked, Careers in the Arts, and Folsom Lake College Arts Programs and an Open Dance Rehearsal in Black Box, Monoprint Workshop & Student Art Show in Visual Arts Lab and Set Construction in Scene Shop.

Dave Pier, who has served as Executive Director of the Harris Center since 2010, notes, "of course, the goal of any arts facility is to focus the attention of the audience towards the art on stage, while rendering the work backstage invisible. At the same time, the magic that takes place behind-the-scenes is fascinating and I think the community will enjoy learning more about the arts facility and its programs that they have so warmly embraced over the last five years."

The $50 million performing arts center opened on the Folsom Lake College campus on February 11, 2011. Perched on the side of a prominent hill in Folsom, the venue boasts three distinct stages under one roof. A home for regional arts organizations as well as a venue hosting international touring artists, it also serves as an arts laboratory for students and campus faculty. Since opening in 2011, the total economic impact of the Harris Center's operations on the Sacramento region has already exceeded $45 million. (Source: Americans for the Arts Economic Impact calculator)

For more information and tickets, patrons should visit www.HarrisCenter.net or contact the Harris Center Ticket Office directly at 916-608-6888.

Photo Credit: Harris Center's website

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