The PACE Center Celebrates 5 Years of Entertaining and Educating the Community
On October 28, the PACE Center will commemorate its 5th anniversary with a VIP dinner and performance from comedian Wayne Brady. This celebration caps off five years of bringing quality entertainment to Parker and the surrounding communities.
Cultural Director Elaine Mariner reflects, “What I think makes the PACE Center so successful is that we provide local artists, including the Parker Chorale, the Parker Symphony Orchestra and multiple Parker dance groups, opportunities to perform in front of very supportive audiences. At the same time, we bring in a wide variety of amazing regional and national touring acts that appeal to our patrons.”
The PACE Center is proud of its accomplishments over the past five years and strives to continue to provide patrons with enriching and educational experiences. We’d like to share a few of those accomplishments with you:
- By the end of our 5th year, we will have had almost 1000 performances take place on the PACE Center stage.
- Since our opening in 2011, we have sold close to 225,000 tickets (over 150,000 to Parker Arts presented shows, and close to 74,000 to rental shows). During our 5th presenting season, our average capacity at PACE Center shows was 82%.
- Over the years, we have presented a variety of local, regional, national, and world-renowned acts (including dance, orchestra, choral, comedy, drama, concerts, musicals, magicians, and more).
- We’ve developed educational programming for all ages, with class and camp offerings in art, music, dance, theater, travel, technology, culinary, science & nature, and language arts. We’ve introduced over 25,000 students to cultural topics during this time.
- In 2014, we introduced our student matinees, allowing teachers and school-aged kids from all over Douglas County and surrounding areas to experience theater. We now offer scholarship programs for qualified schools and families.
- We’ve expanded our educational offerings beyond classes, with events such as the annual Parker Honey Festival, the Rover Rally, our free Adult Lecture Series, and our inaugural Parker Shakespeare Festival for teens that will debut in 2017. In 2015, we launched our Family Discovery Series which offers families an affordable way to experience new forms of arts, culture, and science (tickets are only $5). This year’s topics range from experiential rhythm to astronomy, bats, puppets, and pirates.
- Our outreach efforts consist of presenting or participating in more than 30 events a year such as PACE Patio Parties, Concerts in the Park, Wine Walks, Parker Quest, Parker Days Parade, Trick or Treat on Mainstreet, and more.
- Our PACE Center Art Gallery is professionally curated and has housed approximately 30 exhibits over its five-year history. While we’ve displayed work from national and world-renowned artists such as Quang Ho, Jay Moore, and Lorenzo Chavez, our walls have also showcased pieces created by local artists from the Parker Artists Guild and the Douglas County Schools. During our five-year anniversary celebration, Art for Horses an equine-themed art exhibit and sale, benefiting two horse rescues will be on display.
- In 2014, Parker Arts qualified for Tier II status with the Scientific and Cultural Facilities District (SCFD) which more than tripled our SCFD annual funding support.
- Our recently landscaped terrace combined with the scenic setting of our event room makes the PACE Center an elegant place for weddings and ceremonies. Over the past five years, we’ve helped close to 75 couples say “I Do.”
- Our affordable and inspirational event and classroom space is ideal for holding meetings, and we have become a regular meeting place for groups such as the Douglas County Libraries, Douglas County Schools, Youth for Christ, several HOA organizations, and many other regional groups.
- Part of the PACE Center’s mission is to be a cultural gathering space, and the community has indeed embraced the facility for this purpose. Since our opening, we have hosted multi-cultural engagement parties, birthday bashes, Polynesian dances, Chinese New Year celebrations, Latin concerts, and more.
- From the time that we first opened our doors, we were committed to working with quality partners in order to bring top-notch programs and performances to the PACE Center. This goal has given rise to extremely strong relationships with organizations like On Pointe and The Colorado School of Dance, The Parker Chorale and Parker Symphony Orchestra, Deep Space, and Inspire Creative, just to name a few. These partnerships have been mutually beneficial, and both parties have seen growth and development over the years as a result.
- Countless individuals and companies have shown their support for arts and culture over the years through donations and sponsorships. From naming a seat in the theater to naming an entire room, we’ve sure felt the love. In fact, our 2016/2017 program welcomes our first ever Season Sponsor, Cardel Homes.
- Our Family Circle Membership program was established in 2014. This multi-tiered offering allows individuals to support educational and outreach programs while receiving benefits such as early purchase, discounted tickets, and access to special events. We currently have 448 active Family Circle Member households.
PACE (Parker Arts Cultural and Events) announces artistic partners for the inaugural 2011-2012 season
The Artistic Partners program’s goal is to foster arts and culture in an innovative and collaborative way and they will work to help the PACE center fulfill its goals of education, community outreach and performances.
The Art partners are:
- Apex Contemporary Dance Theater
- Colorado Wind Ensemble
- Parker Chorale
Factors that were considered when these four entities were chosen included their artistic merit and community outreach.
“This innovative program allows us to work closely with artistic groups in our community and bring more local and regional talent to our stage, as well as enhance arts education through performances and classes,” said Jeannene Bragg, Cultural Director of the PACE Center.
Alicia Pope organized the Parker Chorale just one year ago and has already attained a large loyal following and a reputation for excellence in vocal music. Their goals align perfectly with the PACE Center ideals. “We are so thrilled to have the opportunity to be a part of the growing artistic community in Douglas County,” said Alicia Pope, Chairman of the Parker Chorale. “Our participation as a PACE Center Artistic Partner really lets us be a true community choir; being involved in the community, not just performing for it.” You can find out more information about Parker Chorale’s practice and performance schedule here.
Apex Contemporary Dance Theatre’s Artistic Director, David Reuille had this to say about the inclusion in the program. “The Parker Arts, Culture and Events Department is a cultural gem and Apex is pleased to offer support for their mission, praise for their many accomplishments and personal gratitude for their place in the community.”
Performance dates will be announced in the next few months, with ticket sales beginning this summer. The PACE Center is set to open in historic downtown Parker this fall.
Apex Contemporary Dance Theatre is a professional dance company dedicated to producing innovative dance concerts that entertain, engage and inspire. Co-founded by David Reuille and Heidi Nichter in 2008 and headquartered in Parker, the company also offers ongoing classes and educational outreach productions for schools in Colorado.
The Colorado Wind Ensemble’s mission is to provide opportunities for musicians to create, and audiences to experience, exceptional live performances of wind ensemble music. As the only wind ensemble in the Denver Metro area outside of academia, the Colorado Wind Ensemble performs music from all eras. The group is in its 29th season and is led by Conductor and Musical Director Matthew J. Roeder, DMA.
The Parker Chorale was formed in 2010 as a community group dedicated to fostering the arts and supporting music education in the Town of Parker and Douglas County. Lead by John Polinski, Artistic Director and Conductor, this adult chorus is devoted to sharing the gift of song through music performance.
Located in historic downtown Parker, the PACE Center will be home to a 500-seat theater, a 250-seat amphitheater, art gallery, event room, dance studio, culinary kitchen and several classrooms. PACE will provide a wide variety of local, regional, and national cultural, arts, scientific and educational programming to the region and serve as a rental venue for community, business and social events.
Parker Designated “Emerging Creative District” by the State Economic Development Commission
The Town of Parker is one of eight Colorado communities designated as an “Emerging Creative District” by the State Economic Development Commission. As part of this designation, Parker will receive a grant and technical assistance to further their Creative District planning and encourage the growth of creative industries. In addition, two “Certified” Creative Districts and eight “Prospective” Creative Districts were named.
Creative Districts are defined as areas that have a mix of uses within their boundaries, including arts/cultural assets, creative businesses and complementary non-arts businesses such as restaurants, offices, retail stores and housing. Districts may also offer events like art walks and art festivals and can include community gathering places such as a plaza or park. The purpose of Creative Districts is to attract creative entrepreneurs and artists to a community, create hubs of economic activity, attract visitors, revitalize and beautify communities, provide a focal point for celebrating and strengthening a community’s unique identity and showcasing cultural and artistic organizations, events and amenities.
Located in downtown Parker, the Town’s Creative District is home to the Parker Arts, Culture and Events (PACE) Center, the Parker Mainstreet Center and the Parker Library. In addition, the District retains a diverse mix of more than 260 businesses, including 24 creative enterprises, and hosts approximately 34 annual community events.
“Emerging Creative District recognition by the State will help strengthen economic activity in Parker by leveraging our considerable investment in the downtown area, as well as in arts and cultural facilities and activities,” said Councilmember Amy Holland. “This designation will also brand Parker as a community that values the arts and creative industries.”
Forty-nine Districts applied for the Creative District designation, 44 of which met the basic qualifications. Applications were reviewed by a panel of professionals with experience in arts and creative industries, city planning, economic development and business development. Panelists reviewed, scored and ranked the complete application and support materials based on weighted review criteria in the areas of: district characteristics, management and planning, community buy-in and other factors.
For more information, please contact Economic Development Director John Hall at 303.841.0353 or Cultural Director Jeannene Bragg at 303.805.6800.
