This event has ended, but don't worry we have a new forum each week!
For 100 years, the Palace Theatre has been more than a stage—it’s been a symbol of what makes Columbus feel like a city.
Built for vaudeville and designed so every voice could be heard without amplification, the Palace has hosted generations of performers and audiences, evolving alongside the city itself. But behind the curtain, the performing arts are entering a new and uncertain act.
Audience habits have shifted. Costs are rising. Subscription models are under strain. And arts organizations—once seen as cultural amenities—are increasingly being asked to prove their value as economic engines, workforce attractors, and drivers of downtown vitality.
So what does it take to sustain a thriving arts ecosystem in a fast-growing city? From CAPA’s stewardship of historic venues and shared services model supporting local arts groups, to the broader role of the arts in tourism, talent attraction, and civic identity, this conversation will explore what’s working—and what’s at risk.
Join us ONSTAGE at the Palace Theatre for a very special CMC forum spotlighting the future of the performing arts in Columbus: who it serves, how it’s funded, and whether this city is ready to invest in its next century of creativity.
Featuring Suzan Bradford, Executive Director, Lincoln Theatre; Julia Noulin-Mérat, General Director & CEO, Opera Columbus; Chad Whittington, President & CEO, CAPA; Remi Wörtmeyer, Artistic Director, BalletMet, with moderator Amy Juravich, Host and Executive Producer of All Sides with Amy Juravich, 89.7 NPR News, WOSU Public Media.
If you would like to dive more deeply into this topic, our friends at the Columbus Metropolitan Library suggest checking out The Secret Life of the American Musical, by Jack Viertel, 2016.
PARKING DETAILS:
Free parking will be available for the September 2 CMC forum for you and all attendees, courtesy of Downtown Columbus, Inc.
The free parking location is the Huntington Plaza garage at 37 W Broad Street, with the entrance off Front Street. The gates will be up for free parking access.
Note: free parking for this forum is at the Huntington Plaza garage (not the Huntington Center).
Photographs by: Ian Alexander Photography
