Spokane Valley Summer Theatre Receives 2021 Governor's Arts & Heritage Luminary Award

The Washington State Arts Commission has announced Spokane Valley Summer Theatre as the recipient of the 2021 Governor's Arts & Heritage Luminary Award for an organization in the eastern region of the state.

This special award is being given this year to arts that helped shine a light in their communities during the darkness of the pandemic. SVST was bold in its 2021 summer season, gathering audiences for the first major live performances since the pandemic began. The SVST season began with two outdoor shows in the 95-105 degree heat: "Rising Stars" and "Under the Stars" were performed in June outdoors at the new CenterPlace event space. Due to heat and early fire season smoke concerns, "Little House on the Prairie - the musical" originally scheduled to be outdoors in July in that same spot, was moved indoors to University High School, where ticket sale records for SVST were broken, and audiences loved the regional premiere of the show. SVST Executive Artistic Director Yvonne A.K. Johnson says, "Live performing arts will be vital to the restoration and vibrancy of all communities as we continue to emerge from the pandemic together with hope towards the future."

The Governor's Arts & Heritage Luminary Award comes on the heels of Spokane Valley Summer Theatre announcing this past week it plans to go year 'round with the building of the $36 million Spokane Valley Performing Arts Center (SVPAC), slated to hold its first performance in June of 2024. The 'Luminary Award' is an apropos recognition for SVST and the planned SVPAC, both of which desire to be beacons of light in the region.

The ceremony for the official presentation of The Governor's Arts & Heritage Luminary Award is scheduled for December 7th.

www.svsummertheatre.com

www.spokanevalleypac.com

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