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Culture Takes Center Stage

Tribune file photo by JAY NOLAN

The Carrollwood Cultural Center recently celebrated its one-year anniversary of promoting the arts.

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By MICHELE SAGER

msager@tampatrib.com

Published: March 12, 2009

CARROLLWOOD - When the Carrollwood Cultural Center opened its doors a year ago, it instantly became a model for private, public partnerships promoting the arts.

Community leaders hoped on opening day that the gleaming new facility, offering an array of programs, would soon be overflowing with art patrons. But as the center's programs were taking off, the economy was quickly plummeting.

With homes going into foreclosure and employees losing their jobs, families tightened their spending over the past year. Extracurricular spending on things such as concerts and art classes often were the first to be cut from the family budget.

Yet, center leaders said the facility thrived in its first year, and the struggling economy had a surprising effect on attendance.

"We did very well despite the economy," said Paul Berg, the center's executive director. "I think people chose us over other entertainment choices because we are an affordable experience for the whole family."

Berg noted that families could attend a play or concert for a fraction of the cost of some other family outings in the area.

He said he's amazed at the progress that was made in the past year.

"It was an enormous task just to get us into the building and all the programs up and running," he said. "We're far ahead of where I thought we would be by now."

He pointed to the partnerships the center has created with other nonprofit groups as an example. By working with the other groups, the center was able to do cross promotion for events. For example, the center held instructional music classes that directly tied with Florida Orchestra concerts.

The center is run under a partnership between the county and the Friends of the Carrollwood Cultural Center. The Friends group runs the daily operations, and the county provides an annual contribution to the budget with an ultimate goal for the center to be self-supporting.

It is the first public center that focuses solely on promoting and teaching the arts in Hillsborough County. The partnership has become a model for the county, and its success could mean future ventures in other areas.

But Berg knows that if the cultural center is going to reach its goal of self-sufficiency, the leaders will have to spend the next year stepping up its profile in the community. One of the center's greatest hurdles might be its name.

The cultural center still isn't widely known outside of the Carrollwood area, yet it aims to serve the Tampa Bay region. Berg said increasing fundraising will be a major priority this coming year.

As for the programs, center leaders said they continue to expand and bring new offerings. This year, the center will host a series of children camps to coincide with spring break.

"It's going to be very exciting because we'll be offering an array of classes like music and robotics," said Helen Michaelson, the center's educational outreach director.

The center will be celebrating its anniversary Saturday with Arts in the Park featuring an art show, music and food.

IF YOU GO

WHAT: Arts in the Park

WHERE: Carrollwood Cultural Center, 4537 Lowell Road

WHEN: 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday

HOW MUCH: Free

Reporter Michele Sager can be reached at (813) 865-1523.

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