The Observation Deck

Now is the critical time to support the Beck Center. Be a Beck champion -
In these tough economic times, people look for moments when they can smile. The Beck Center for the Arts was founded on the principle that music, theater, dance, painting, and other forms of art bring joy and comfort in good times and in bad.

The Beck Center now finds itself at a crossroads. Funding from our familiar sources is in short supply. In difficult economic times, arts organizations are particularly vulnerable, and we are pinching our pennies and stretching our dollars.

We now come to you for help. If the Beck Center cannot raise funds from new sources, we are in danger of closing. Our hallways, always echoing with laughter, music, and the promise of young talent, will be quiet.

We understand that our story is no different from many others these days. As a responsible non-profit, we are striving to be fiscally responsible and self sustaining. Over the past several years we have made progress, but now it is absolutely critical that we find new funding in order to remain a viable asset of our region. The Beck Center's regional impact of $10 million dollars every year would be sorely missed.

Yes, the economy is troubled. It will improve. It always does. But if the Beck Center closes now, there is little hope we will re-open.

The music will be silent. The dances will stop. The paints will remain sealed. The theater will be dark.

When times get better, what kind of community do we want to live in? One deprived of art or one whose sign reads "Open for Imagination"?

We are appealing to you to give whatever amount you can.
To donate now, click here.

Want to do more to help? Be our champion! Forward this message to at least 10 of your friends who would understand the value of the Beck Center and that the arts are absolutely critical in creating a vibrant, sustainable community. And if you have a personal story to tell about the Beck, please add it to your appeal.

On behalf of the community, families, and children that we serve, we thank you!

Sincerely,
Lucinda Einhouse

Beck Center for the Arts

Or mail donations to:
Beck Center for the Arts
17801 Detroit Avenue
Lakewood, Ohio 44107

216.521.2540
http://www.beckcenter.org


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I personally will be purchasing 2 evil dead tickets.

john crino wrote:I personally will be purchasing 2 evil dead tickets.

Is this not big deal? I thought it seemed like an important issue, and I've never even been there. Anyone out there??
Anyone?
anyone?
ok. I'm bored.

Personally, I haven't been able to afford to go to the Beck Center since I was in high school and we could get tickets for $5...

what are the expenses? how many times do they keep paying for the same building. Do they keep refinancing it? Are they stuck with high insurance premiums?

The Beck took a calculated risk years back when they decided to go from community theater to "running with the big dogs"
It would be a shame to loose the arts education programs but does Lakewood really need an Equity theater?

Ryan and Dee:

Beck has a history of financial challenge, there is no question about that.

It is also true that there is no arts producing organization in town that doesn't cost more to run than they are able to make in earned income, and very few of them outside of broadway. It costs substantially more to run the Cleveland Orchestra (to make an extreme comparison) than they can earn by selling tickets and providing other services. Same for Beck. You could sell every ticket at beck center at full price and still not be able to pay the cost of operation.That's not their fault.

Neither are their current financial challenges the result of their choice to "run with the big dogs." First, they don't run with the big dogs. Beck isn't an Equity company and doesn't have nearly the costs that would be associated with that. Indeed, their choice to hire a few Equity actors and pay stipends (which are truly token amounts) has only brought them more respect and wider recognition.

They've got a big challenge in a campus cobbled together of four old buildings which simply cost a lot to run, which need maintenance, etc. They were founded without an endowment to support them and have never had much cash in reserve. The tanking economy have affected corporate, individual, and foundation support. This is no surprise at all.

They've already done many of the things that private industry is doing to cope: cutting staff, cutting marketing expense, etc.

I think it's a mistake to begrudge them asking for help. It's hard to argue supporting culture when there are people who can't buy food or pay their rent, but we have to ask ourselves how much we actually value having live theater production, a home to the Cleveland Artists Foundation, and classes in theater, music, art, and dance for kids and adults right here.

I'm not familiar with current data, but I believe something like 3/4 of their clientele comes from other cities --and mostly this means they come from far flung western suburbs that don't have anything like Beck--back into Lakewood to spend their money. There is nothing else like this anywhere on the West Side.

John, enjoy Evil Dead, which ought to be great. Scott Spence has a knack for finding bits of pop culture kitsch, and putting them on stage with strong production values and great wit. This campy musicalization of the early eightis horror film (the college kids go off to a cabin in the woods, and the horror fest begins to unfold) ought to be very funny. As I understand, it's become tradition to give ponchos to people sitting in the first few rows.

I heard on NPR this morning that Beck Center needs to raise $150,000 by the end of this month or it is in danger of closing or severely cutting back programs.

I too would like to help by buying some tickets now, and signing up for a summer class.

My question is, would this help with the near-term budget problem, or are cash donations the only thing that can help now?

Mr Gill

Dont get me wrong I am not necessrily criticizing the Beck for its decision to go with Equity actors, although from what I know its a bit more of a financial burden than you painted it to be.
They did it and in good times they profited from it. Now its kind of come back to bite them.
If what you say is true that 3/4 of Beck patrons come from outside the city then the Beck is sort of like St Eds, isnt it? Its IN Lakewood but not OF Lakewood.

I am trying to feel an emotional tug but its just not happening for me. I havent been inside the building in 10 yrs. I certainly dont want to see it fold but Im truly wondering what changes in my life if it does.

I really do wish they would restore the 'edit' function



I wanted to add that from everything I have heard, and I have heard a lot, Ms. Eninhouse is doing a fine job managing the Beck.
Whatever anyone says should not be construed as a criticism of her.

Perhaps the troubles of the Beck Center are an opportunity to test the whole concept of regionalism.

Why not a Cleveland + property tax of $2 per year on each parcel to build and subsidize a new building for the Beck right here in Lakewood. Can't you see the Mayors from Youngstown to Lorain getting on board to support this Lakewood institution that serves dozens of communities? Regionalism not as spectre but solid as brick and mortor.

In the unlikely event that the Mayors don't sign up:

Sell the current site.
Partner with the Lakewood City Schools to build a new facility on the East side of Lakewood. At an expanded Garfield? At Rockport? At Kaufman Park? Behind FFL? On Madison? At the site of the current City Hall? At ...

My wild guess is that the Beck is reasonably well run. Changing habits, slow economy and population dispersal are hard to fight, but not impossible to fight. If Lakewood wants it Lakewood will have to pay for it.

Wait!! I almost forgot! The Star Chamber For The Arts was designed for just such problem. Hundreds of millions of tax dollars are available to save institutions like the Beck. I'm sure they would leap at the chance to show that all that new money is not just a slush fund.

I would hate to think that we are on our own and must find our own solutions.

Bill Call wrote:Wait!! I almost forgot! The Star Chamber For The Arts was designed for just such problem. Hundreds of millions of tax dollars are available to save institutions like the Beck. I'm sure they would leap at the chance to show that all that new money is not just a slush fund.

Gosh darn it Bill, stop making sence!! I cry a little bit inside