FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 5, 2009
Contact:
Ohio Cultural Facilities Commission: Jessica Fagan – 614.995.7552; jfagan@culture.ohio.gov
Columbus Association for the Performing Arts: Rolanda Copley – 614. 719-6624; rcopley@capa.com
Ohio Cultural Facilities Commission and Lincoln Theatre
Sign Memorandum of Understanding
Columbus, Ohio – The Ohio Cultural Facilities Commission and the Lincoln Theatre Association entered into a memorandum of understanding (MOU) agreement today during the Commission’s quarterly meeting. The Lincoln Theatre renovation project was appropriated state capital funds in the amount of $350,000 in Am. Sub. H.B. 699 of the 126th General Assembly.
The MOU agreement documents the specific steps that need to be undertaken by local project sponsor, the Lincoln Theatre Association, and the project manager, the Columbus Association for the Performing Arts, in order for the Commission to make all of the statutorily-required determinations that result in a project’s full approval. Upon completion of the steps outlined in the MOU, the project will be in a position to receive final approval from the Commission, triggering release of the state bond funds.
Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the Lincoln Theatre (771 E. Long St.) opened its doors in 1928. In its heyday, the theatre hosted performances by jazz legends including Duke Ellington, Count Basie, Miles Davis, Etta James, and Columbus native Nancy Wilson. The current renovation project will restore the theatre’s lavish Egyptian Revival décor and provide a state-of-the-art, 574-seat venue which will host national and local musical artists, theatre, and films, as well as performances from 10 resident arts groups. The project also includes four street-level retail spaces, a second-floor special event/ballroom space, and a third-floor educational space for the Jazz Arts Group’s Jazz Academy. The Lincoln Theatre is expected to reopen in May 2009. For more information, visit www.lincolntheatrecolumbus.com.
The Ohio Cultural Facilities Commission is a state agency that helps enhance the quality of life for Ohioans by improving the state’s cultural facilities. Since 1988, the Commission has disbursed more than $400 million in capital funds appropriated by the Legislature and Governor for facility improvement projects at nonprofit theaters, museums, historical sites, and publicly owned professional sports venues. The Commission partners with nonprofit groups and local governments on more than 300 projects in 72 of Ohio’s 88 counties. For more information on the Commission, visit www.culture.ohio.gov.
