MARK YOUR CALENDAR

Greater Dover Chamber of Commerce invites the public to share their input and hear others ideas on the potential revitalization of the historic Strand Theater in downtown Dover on Thursday, June 20 from  7:00 PM to 8:30 PM at the McConnell Center Cafeteria, 61 Locust Street, Dover. (Continued below) 

This community input session will be to gather and compile public opinion on the future of the Strand Theater and allow community members to learn about successful models from other communities across the country.  The event is free and open to the public.  All are encouraged to attend. 

The Chamber was approved for a grant from the Thomas W. Haas Fund of the New Hampshire Charitable Foundation for the purpose of exploring the economic feasibility and community interest in refurbishing the historic Strand Theater in downtown Dover in September 2012.  The Chamber along with partners from the Dover Arts Commission, Children’s Museum of New Hampshire and the Dover Rotary, have been convening and planning for the last several months in preparation for starting the work with consultant, Louise Stevens, principle of ArtsMarket, Inc.  Louise’s firm was selected for its expertise in arts and cultural restoration projects. 

ArtsMarket is designed to provide deep, research-based counsel to their clients. Louise and her team have earned repeat honors from the International Economic Development Counsel and won the multi-year business of scores of leading cultural institutions throughout the US. Louise is the noted author of significant books and scholarly articles written for the arts and cultural and economic development fields, including the field's # 1 guidebook to cultural development, The Community Cultural Planning Work Kit. She regularly speaks and conducts workshops on audience development, feasibility planning, and cultural development throughout the US and Canada.

Louise has been involved in a range of projects in New Hampshire.  She led the feasibility study for the Capitol Center for the Arts in Concord and was involved in the restoration and redevelopment of the Flying Monkey Theatre in Plymouth.

ArtsMarket has won international recognition for their market and economic feasibility studies and research, and has won the trust of municipalities and nonprofits throughout the United States. Prior to founding ArtsMarket, Louise was an arts journalist. She was twice nominated for the Pulitzer Prize in criticism.  She later became the general manager of The Milwaukee Ballet, and then took on the administration of a number of arts organizations in Boston and New England.  She guided the development of Tom Rush's New Hampshire-based Maple Hill Productions into a significant national folk music booking and production company.  She has written five books on arts and cultural planning, arts education, and evaluation of arts programs since founding ArtsMarket, all commissioned by the National Endowment for the Arts.  Louise has written over 150 cultural Plans for cities, counties and towns in the US and Canada.

For more information on the Strand Theater Feasibility Study and the June 20 Community Input Session, contact Molly Hodgson Smith at the Greater Dover Chamber of Commerce at (603) 742-2218.  The Greater Dover Chamber of Commerce is a not-for-profit association of businesses, professionals, individuals, and organizations working together to advance the economic well-being of its members and the community.