Harris Center for the Arts

Update on the Harris Center for the Arts

February 10, 2021

The past year has been extraordinarily challenging for the Harris Center, like for so many in our region and in the arts community, and we know there are many questions about when public health conditions might allow for the HCA to reopen and what that reopening looks like. As we have shared previously, the Harris Center will reopen. At the same time, the forced temporary closure and underlying questions about the Center's economic and management model have necessitated some important conversations about what the HCA will look like in the future.

To help us with these conversations, we partnered with colleagues at Management Consultants for the Arts (MCA) in developing a review and assessment of Harris Center operations. MCA's report outlines a number of key areas for improvement for the future operation of the Harris Center, as well as an estimate of industry expectations regarding when reopening may be possible (the primary driver of the re-opening timeline will of course be regional public health conditions and guidance from local and state officials).

Our next step, now that we have received the report, is to thoroughly review the findings and assess next steps regarding a plan and timeline for reopening the Harris Center and for the manner in which that will happen. To help inform this process, we are scheduling a virtual town hall on Tuesday, March 2 from 5:00 pm to 6:00 pm (listen to Town Hall recording) to discuss and answer questions about the report. We will share specific login information for the town hall in the coming weeks.

Thank you for your continued support of the Harris Center for the Arts and the arts in our region in these uncertain times. We look forward to seeing you at the town hall on Tuesday, March 2 (listen to Town Hall recording).

Sincerely,

Brian King
Chancellor, Los Rios Community College District

Whitney Yamamura
President, Folsom Lake College

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