Performing Arts Center Update

The Sanford Performing Arts Center is now in the black, and is in great shape to restart programming next fall, according to School Committee member Paula Cote.

Recent postcard mailings, and the “Free For All” series of performances paid for by Covid grant funds, have raised SPAC’s visibility in the community. Since December 15, the steering committee has received over $3,000 in donations to continue SPAC’s mission of providing educational and cultural enrichment opportunities to foster the development, understanding, and enjoyment of the performing arts in our community.

Some great collaborative/working relationships were born out of the “Free For All” shows, and Director Brett Williams hopes to cultivate those for future growth and establishment of the SPAC as a great performing arts center.

One of these relationships resulted in a collaboration coming to SPAC next month. Classical Uprising will be launching their world premiere of “Amazing Grace: An American Spiritual,”  a multimedia concert that traces the history of Black spirituals from pre-emancipation folk singing to the Black Lives Matter movement. This program is educational as well as entertaining, and is being offered to Sanford High School teachers who may want to incorporate the performance into their teachings.

“Amazing Grace” will be livestreamed for free on WSSR-TV and YouTube on Saturday, February 6 at 7:00 p.m.

Mr. Williams hopes to reopen SPAC to live audiences in November or December, depending on the Covid situation. He is booking right now for the new season, and has a myriad of genres planned, everything from theater and classical to comedy and educational shows. He is looking to add jazz and dance to the SPAC repertoire as well.