Program areas at Blumenthal Performing Arts
See schedule ofrom september 1, 2022-august 31, 2023, blumenthal welcomed new audiences, launched exciting new programming and initiatives, supported artists, and made a significant impact in the community. Blumenthal welcomed more than 1.1mm visitors and infused $93.75mm into the local economy. Additionally, more than $1mm was put into artists' pockets through programs and initiatives, and more than 750 team members employed through various roles in 2023. Represented within these 203 highlights includes the launch of the Charlotte international Arts festival at the start of our fiscal year in september 2022. The impact of the past year represents growth and revitalization across many sectors, and provided memorable and transformative experiences in ways that only blumenthal can create.blumenthal's broadway season is the largest in the region, presenting 191 broadway performances throughout, with more than 328,500 tickets sold, including more than 22,500 affordable, subsidized, or free tickets for community programs and education, including student rush; diversity, equity, and inclusion; tickets for veterans; fundraiser donations; and more.recognized as a top-ten market for touring broadway, Charlotte was one of only ten cities in the country to present the exclusive limited engagement of into the woods, direct from broadway, with a starry cast including tony award winners stephanie j. Block and gavin creel, tony award nominee montego glover, and others from the broadway company of the acclaimed, long-extended broadway revival.in addition to presenting the best on stage, blumenthal is also a prolific producer of broadway shows. As a member of the independent presenters network (ipn), a consortium of 40 preeminent broadway presenters, theaters, and Performing Arts centers, blumenthal is monumental in influencing the shows that make it to broadway and national tour. Ipn members bring broadway productions to more than 110 cities in North america, the united kingdom, japan, and china.blumenthal invested in some of the top shows on broadway in 2023, including: & juliet, a beautiful noise, back to the future, fat ham, gutenberg! The musical!, harmony, here lies love, how to dance in Ohio, kimberly akimbo (tony award winner), life of pi, some like it hot, and spamalot.the estimated local economic impact of broadway in 2023 was more than $64mm.the first Charlotte international Arts festival (ciaf), presented by blumenthal Arts, was a multi-week celebration and showcase of international and local Arts across genres, mediums, and cultures, that came to a close on october 3, 2022. An ambitious undertaking by blumenthal, the festival was a huge step forward for the city and the region, where an Arts festival to this scale and accessibility has never been realized before.funded in part by one-time pandemic relief funding, the inaugural Arts festival presented a variety of acts representing more than 10 countries with more than 200 events across the city. With many events and installations occurring in ballantyne's backyard, ciaf also marked the first time blumenthal Performing Arts extended a large swath of its programming 20 miles outside of uptown, making ciaf events more accessible to a larger audience. In addition to location accessibility, ciaf's programming was largely free and open to the public, with ticketed events starting at $5, making the Arts accessible to all facets of the community, many of whom may not have had access to the Arts to this degree before.the inaugural festival saw 31 ticketed events saw guests from 266 different cities in the carolinas, 41 states and Washington, dc, as well as from the uk, spain, canada, and others. There were 5 large-scale art installations, a "100 tiny things" public art installations by local artists, 13 blumenthal fellowship program installations representing 34 visual artists, 15 projection artists, 165 festival volunteers, and 319 job opportunities.in addition to the local creatives that worked on ciaf, blumenthal engaged artists through its artists in theaters (ait) program, which commissions work related to the broadway shows being presented on stage at blumenthal. The artwork is showcased in the theater lobby and exposes the artists to new audienceseven resulting in some major artwork sales and opportunities.in 2023, blumenthal continued its steadfast support of Arts education. More than 150,000 students participate in blumenthal's student-focused programming each year, including the 47 schools and more than 1,500 students participated in the 10th annual blumey awards, Charlotte's high school musical theater awards program, presented by wells fargo.junior theater celebration Charlotte welcomed back the itheatrics team from new york to work with 2,076 students and teachers from 45 area elementary and middle schools we are grateful to have the partnership with itheatrics to lead these immersive workshops and experiences with students here in Charlotte. Blumenthal leap(literacy engagement through Arts program) used the magic of theater to enhance critical literacy, public speaking, and creative writing for upper elementary students. The 5th grade students from two title i schools received 150 hours of active community instruction by participating in the program last year. Blumenthal also helped to develop or co-produce original works that inspire audiences locally and have the potential to tour across the country. We are providing artists with the support they need to continue refining their projects and expand their impact while also helping to fill gaps in Charlotte's entertainment portfolio.