Photo: The Phipps Center for the Arts
With nearly 40 events in a typical season at The Phipps Center for the Arts, we’re often asked, ‘How do you choose?’ Although it’s not a simple process, I’ll do my best to explain.
The Phipps takes much of its direction from a group of volunteer arts councils. Dance, drama, children’s theater, music and visual arts are all represented by their own groups of volunteers who are tasked with various responsibilities, including programming. These different arts councils meet several times each year to discuss what they’d like to see at The Phipps.
Take the Drama Council, for example. This group of volunteers meets and chats about which theater offerings might work best for the upcoming season. Those ideas then move to the Program Committee, where they are discussed further. Once the Program Committee has its list of approved theater events, it goes to the Board of Directors for final approval and is then included in the next season.
It’s a wonderfully collaborative process that brings together many voices from all over the Valley. Art is for everyone, so at The Phipps, everyone gets a say in it!
Ben Thietje serves as the executive director of The Phipps Center for the Arts. Learn more at thephipps.org.
