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Board of Directors
Larry Kuster, President Dr. Richard Basden, Vice-President Robert Randall, Secretary Mary Fergurson, Treasurer Cathy Randall Gene Fergurson |
About Us
Mission StatementThe Mission of the JCA Civic Center is to enrich the quality of life and promote education, culture, and enlightened learning in the Jacksonville area by providing a place where residents and visitors can meet and enjoy a broad spectrum of events and experiences.
Vision StatementThe Vision of the JCA Civic Center is to be a center of learning and to provide social, civic, and cultural engagement in a state-of-the-art facility in downtown Jacksonville.
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Fergurson elected to JCA Board of Directors
The Jacksonville Symphony Hall and Performing Arts Center, NFP, dba Jacksonville Center for the Arts, Board of Directors elected Boyd “Gene” Fergurson as a Director at its September 30, 2021 meeting. “Gene brings valuable knowledge and skills to the Board. He has served as a public school administrator, has worked for the Illinois State Board of Education, and currently works with the Illinois Association of School Boards,” said JCA President Larry Kuster.
“The Covid-19 pandemic has presented great challenges to so many organizations and the JCA is no exception,” said Kuster. “Gene's public school experience with pandemic issues will be valuable to the JCA Board as it charts a path forward to make a downtown multi-purpose civic center with performing arts facility a reality. In 2015 the JCA Board officially launched the Jacksonville Civic Center project and this continues to be the Board's goal. The JCA is a fully functioning Illinois not-for profit 501(c)(3) tax exempt corporation. Any suggestion that the JCA Board is working to redistribute its funds to other entities or charities is not true. Everyone believes a civic center would be a cultural and economic benefit to Jacksonville. Now is an important time in the life of this project.”
“The Covid-19 pandemic has presented great challenges to so many organizations and the JCA is no exception,” said Kuster. “Gene's public school experience with pandemic issues will be valuable to the JCA Board as it charts a path forward to make a downtown multi-purpose civic center with performing arts facility a reality. In 2015 the JCA Board officially launched the Jacksonville Civic Center project and this continues to be the Board's goal. The JCA is a fully functioning Illinois not-for profit 501(c)(3) tax exempt corporation. Any suggestion that the JCA Board is working to redistribute its funds to other entities or charities is not true. Everyone believes a civic center would be a cultural and economic benefit to Jacksonville. Now is an important time in the life of this project.”
Economic Impact Study
In one sentence, “The Arts Mean Business!”
Yes, the Arts are fun, the Arts are life….but few people realize that a thriving Arts community makes a huge economic impact on a community.
A study recently commissioned by the Jacksonville Center for the Arts finds that the Arts impacts our community to the tune of $1.4 million annually.
Sound amazing? Let’s break it down…
Yes, the Arts do mean BUSINESS…economic growth, an investment in not only the cultural and educational well-being of a community but in the town’s economic health. The Arts mean Business!
Yes, the Arts are fun, the Arts are life….but few people realize that a thriving Arts community makes a huge economic impact on a community.
A study recently commissioned by the Jacksonville Center for the Arts finds that the Arts impacts our community to the tune of $1.4 million annually.
Sound amazing? Let’s break it down…
- Membership in each individual Arts organization ranges from 200-300 with an average of 227.
- 5 of the 11 organizations in the study offer classes.
- Annual budgets range from $60,000 to $200,000.
- Staff members range from 1 to 10, with most being part-time.
- Attendance at events ranges from 150-500 per performance. Collectively that adds up to between 27,000 and 91,000 in total attendance.
- The number of annual performances ranges from 3 to 90 per year, adding up to a total of 183 events per year.
- The total gross revenue including classes totals over $220,000 annually.
- The standard multiplier used nationwide to determine the Arts economic impact on a community is 7. This means that the current economic impact of the Arts on Jacksonville is $1.4 million annually. The Arts are in effect an industry.
Yes, the Arts do mean BUSINESS…economic growth, an investment in not only the cultural and educational well-being of a community but in the town’s economic health. The Arts mean Business!
