Organization Questions

Organization Questions


 

1. What is your organization or company? Give background history including by whom, when, and why it was founded.

I am creating a brand for the Lane County Youth Theater. This is a brand new, student-run, non-profit youth theater that was born in the incubator of Cultural Administration, Fall 2016. The founders are five students with diverse arts backgrounds. It was founded with the idea that we could turn an abandoned big box store (such as Walmart) into a performing arts space. The goal was to take  something that detracted from a community repurpose it into something of beauty that would improve a community. Furthermore, once we decided it would be a theater, we wanted it to address and attempt to solve the lack of arts in public schools. This youth theater would be a recreational supplement to public school art programs.

2. What do they do or make – describe the products and services and what makes them unique.

The theater produces shows with all-student casts. Parents sign up their child for this after school theater program (like they would do for a sport, dance class, or private music lessons). Rehearsals also double as acting classes, providing an educational purpose. The Lane Country Youth Theater also has an outreach program where a small team of staff that goes out to schools and does short message-oriented performances (i.e. at an elementary school, they would do a series of skits addressing how to resolve conflict).

3. Describe the culture of the organization or company. What is the work environment like – the atmosphere? What is the building like – exterior/interior, architecture, fittings and furniture? How do the employees work together? What are the jobs and roles of individuals? How does management treat them?

The building is a remodeled Walmart, so our building has an industrial/modern style. The lobby has tall ceilings, polished concrete floors, and the use of iron and stainless steel are incorporated into the stair railing and chandelier. The art featured around the lobby is all found items that have been repurposed. The theater itself is modern and has clean lines. The stage and equipment are fully furnished, equipped to handle any top-notch production. The student admire and appreciate the beauty of the building, and they respect the space by treating it well. In fact, the space inspires them to create a production with matched quality. The offices and work spaces were all designed to be sustainable, fostering an energy of care for the community and environment. The small team of employees are passionate about the students, and taping into their potential to create meaningful performance art. These quality productions draw an audience to the location, which brings economic and cultural value to the surround community.

4. Who is the targeted audience? What are their demographics? (Age, gender, income level, where they live, own or rent, etc.)

Our target age range is 10-24. Ages 10-18 participate and perform in the shows. There is an option for juniors and seniors in high school to take on leadership roles as junior counselors and production assistants. Ages 18-24 become production interns and help the small staff run rehearsals. We are located in Eugene, but we serve students from all over Lane County. Our goal is to have an excellent reputation for our high caliber of performance, drawing eager young performers from near and far. Because we believe arts education is a necessity, not a luxury, we would like to target socioeconomic demographics that would otherwise not have an opportunity to engage in the arts. While we don’t exclude those with an abundance of arts exposure, we would love to bridge the gap for those who need it most.

5. What is the organization or company mission statement? Tagline? (Can be the same – Nike’s is, “Just Do it!”

Our mission is to inspire, educate, engage, and empower the youth of Lane County through the exploration of exceptional theater.