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About Victoria Theater Arts Center
VTAC is a new organization grown from a long campaign by Frogtown and Rondo community members to reclaim the long-vacant Victoria Theater at 825 University Avenue as a resource for the community – to be repurposed as a community owned and managed arts center. Our mission and vision is that the Victoria Theater Arts Center is an artistically vibrant and economically sustainable arts center that reflects the culture and diversity of the surrounding community. It all began in 2009 when the building, constructed in 1915 as a silent movie theater, was threatened with demolition for a parking lot. The community successfully stopped that outcome and the city designated the building as a heritage preservation site in 2011. In 2014, Land Bank Twin Cities bought the building on behalf of the community and executed a purchase agreement with Frogtown Neighborhood Association (FNA). FNA has worked all along to move the project forward, with community partners including Historic Saint Paul, and organized the Victoria Theater Arts Initiative (VTAI) which has transformed this year into VTAC. In 2015, VTAI organized an extensive community engagement campaign to gather input for the vision for the Victoria that synched with concept architectural plans created by a local architectural firm. Last year, VTAI commissioned a facility and fundraising feasibility reports and revisions to our business plan. The Victoria Theater Arts Center will be a cultural hub on the Green Line providing artistic and economic opportunities to a neighborhood rich with creative capital. Designed with both performer and audience needs in mind, VTAC will offer quality event, performance, and rehearsal spaces, with a sustainable operational model based on the real-life needs of artists. The Victoria will provide a large, affordable, adaptable performance space with excellent acoustic quality and sought-after capacity (124 seated, 340 standing), as well as a mixed-use space for smaller events (42 seated). |
Your support is needed
Thank You!
Victoria Theater Arts Initiative thanks everyone who came out to Arnellia's for the Design Reveal Party!!
The architectural plans were revealed, raffle prizes were won, delicious food was shared and everyone to experience the beauty of community coming together.
If you haven't already, please check out our facebook page for all the awesome photos and a video coming soon.
The architectural plans were revealed, raffle prizes were won, delicious food was shared and everyone to experience the beauty of community coming together.
If you haven't already, please check out our facebook page for all the awesome photos and a video coming soon.
If you Missed the design parties
The Victoria Theater Arts Initiative hosted two Design Parties to gather input from residents that will inform the architectural plans for the space.
Please share your ideas for the Victoria Theater with us. Architectural renderings of the space will revealed late summer 2015!
Please take a moment to show how important this project is to you.
The petition will be delivered to the Capital Improvement Budget Committee (CIB)
during the June 1st City Hall public hearing:
To the Capital Improvement Budget Committee (CIB) of Saint Paul & Mayor Chris Coleman
Imagine stepping off the Green Line platform at Victoria Station and greeting a new performance center that captures the spirit of one of St. Paul’s oldest neighborhoods by celebrating its diversity, highlighting new talent and engaging audiences from all corners of the city and beyond through diverse, accessible cultural events.
This dream can be a reality but we need your help. For the last few years the Victoria Theater Arts Initiative has been working to transform the long vacant Victoria Theater (825 University) into a vibrant community owned performance space.
Recently the VTAI submitted a $400,000 request to the Capital Improvement Budget of the City of St. Paul. This money would allow us to purchase the building from the Twin Cities Community Land Bank and do some much need stabilization of the building. Ultimately it will be the mayor and City Council who make this decision about this money and we want them to know how important this project is to the community. Please sign this petition to show the CIB Committee mayor and City Council how important this project is to the neighborhood and the city!
during the June 1st City Hall public hearing:
To the Capital Improvement Budget Committee (CIB) of Saint Paul & Mayor Chris Coleman
Imagine stepping off the Green Line platform at Victoria Station and greeting a new performance center that captures the spirit of one of St. Paul’s oldest neighborhoods by celebrating its diversity, highlighting new talent and engaging audiences from all corners of the city and beyond through diverse, accessible cultural events.
This dream can be a reality but we need your help. For the last few years the Victoria Theater Arts Initiative has been working to transform the long vacant Victoria Theater (825 University) into a vibrant community owned performance space.
Recently the VTAI submitted a $400,000 request to the Capital Improvement Budget of the City of St. Paul. This money would allow us to purchase the building from the Twin Cities Community Land Bank and do some much need stabilization of the building. Ultimately it will be the mayor and City Council who make this decision about this money and we want them to know how important this project is to the community. Please sign this petition to show the CIB Committee mayor and City Council how important this project is to the neighborhood and the city!
| victoria_theater_history.docx |
