Four local performing arts groups are the recipients of the Foundation for the Performing Arts Center Clifton Swanson PAC Community Access grants.
Ballet Theater San Luis Obispo, Civic Ballet of San Luis Obispo, San Luis Obispo Master Chorale, and San Luis Obispo Symphony will perform at the PAC SLO next season thanks to the grant program, which was created to ensure that local artists can access the PAC stage.
A core component of the Foundation’s mission is to ensure that local artists have access to the world-class venue, and the grants subsidize the costs of performing on stage in Harold J. Miossi Hall.
The Clifton Swanson PAC Community Access Fund was established in 2016 to honor Swanson’s commitment to community performing arts. A longtime board member and past president of the Foundation, the Cal Poly music professor founded the SLO Mozart Festival, conducted the SLO Symphony for 13 years, and participate in the original planning committee for the PAC.
Ballet Theatre San Luis Obispo was founded by Theresa Slobodnik and Blair London to offer professional-level ballet technique classes to students at every level. Their classes aim to capture the spirit, joy, challenge, and triumph of ballet.
Civic Ballet San Luis Obispo, founded by Lorilee Silvaggio and today helmed by artistic director Drew Silvaggio, is a premier professional ballet company that has produced classical and contemporary productions for 45 seasons.
San Luis Obispo Master Chorale, with 100 members, is dedicated to presenting major works for chorus and orchestra through public performances and educational programs, enriching the performers, audience, and community.
San Luis Obispo Symphony is building the next generation of musicians and music patrons through accessible performances and outreach opportunities.
The Foundation for the Performing Arts Center provides and promotes an extraordinary center for the arts that elevates the arts in the community. The Foundation is dedicated to seeing that the Performing Arts Center remains affordable and accessible for community members and community artists who utilize the PAC stage.
Beyond offering the Swanson grant program, the Foundation’s fiscal contribution to the PAC every year assures that local arts groups receive a substantial discount on PAC rental fees. This equates to a 40 to 50 percent decrease in cost compared to rates for commercial vendors.