Elephant Man at the Encore Performing Arts Center in Cloquet

2015 Fiscal Year Funding Amount

$4,328

Project of

Arrowhead Library System Legacy Grant SFY 2014 - SFY 2015

Fund Source

Arts & Cultural Heritage Fund

Recipient Type

Libraries

Status

Completed

Start Date

September 2014

End Date

October 2014

Activity Type

Education/Outreach/Engagement

Counties Affected

Carlton

Lake

St. Louis

Project Overview

The Elephant Man by Bernard Pomerance is based on the life of John Merrick, who lived in London during the latter part of the nineteenth century. A horribly deformed young man, victim of rare skin and bone diseases, he has become the star freak attraction in traveling side shows. Found abandoned and helpless, he is admitted to London's prestigious Whitechapel hospital. Under the care of celebrated young physician Frederick Treves, Merrick is introduced to London society and slowly evolves from an object of pity to an urbane and witty favorite of the aristocracy and literati only to be denied his ultimate dream, to become a man like any other. The Encore Performing Arts Center and Gallery has been the home of the County Seat Theater Company since 2008. This is Community Theater at its BEST!

Project Details

214 participated

Project Details: 2015 Fiscal Year

Legal Citation / Subdivision

Laws of Minnesota for 2013 Chapter 137, Article 4, Section 2, Subdivision 4

2015 Fiscal Year Funding Amount

$4,328

Other Funds Leveraged

$1,517

Direct expenses

$5,846

Proposed Measurable Outcome(s)

The intended outcome of the event tickets program is to create access to professional art (music and theatre) by providing free tickets to a live performance. Live art is dynamic; patrons can experience and be inspired by the energy that comes from a live performance. When patrons pick up free event tickets at the library they fill out a short survey answering questions about how many Legacy events they have attended, who they are attending with, how they heard about the tickets, if they could attend without these tickets and if they knew that Minnesota Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund paid for these tickets. Only one survey is filled out regardless of how many tickets are picked up at the library.

Measurable Outcome(s)

214 tickets were used for a 43% return rate. Our surveys indicated 42 of the patron groups that attended had never attended a Legacy funded event or had only attended one other event. 46 groups also indicated they would probably not be able to attend if these tickets were not available.

Source of Additional Funds

The County Seat Theater Company agreed to a 20% reduction in ticket price for reimbursement of tickets. This savings allows us to participate in more ticketed programs and issue more tickets to live performances. 9 libraries distributed tickets and 13 regional newspapers provided marketing through press releases, photos and interviews with artists and performers.