Kauffman Center’s memorable fifth season continued this weekend in celebration of the Center’s 1,000^th public performance since opening in 2011

On Saturday, the Kauffman Center hosted its 1,000^th public performance as part of its fifth performance season. The weekend’s lineup included the Kansas City Symphony’s Festa Italiana, Harriman-Jewell Series presenting Stars of American Ballet and Kauffman Center Presents’ sold out performance, Reinventing Radio: An Evening with Ira Glass.

Since the opening, Kauffman Center has welcomed more than 1.6 million audience members and guests through its doors.  Its diverse programming continues to shine a spotlight on Kansas City’s own vibrant arts community and attract national talent from all genres. Resident companies the Kansas City Ballet, Kansas City Symphony, and Lyric Opera of Kansas City, along with numerous other community arts organizations, have experienced record attendance in their new performance homes.

“The arts are thriving in KC, and Kansas Citians have embraced the Kauffman Center as their home for the performing arts in our community,” stated Paul J. Schofer, President and CEO of the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts. “Interestingly, we’ve had several national and international performers come to the Center who have commented to us that we don’t have any idea what a gem we have here in Kansas City. The fact of the matter is, the Kansas City community does realize what a treasure we have and those outside the community are just beginning to get the full picture of it. Since opening in September of 2011, more than 1.6 million visitors have attended an event at the Kauffman Center and we plan on continuing to provide extraordinary and diverse performing arts experiences for everyone in our community and beyond for generations to come.”

Kauffman Center President and CEO Paul Schofer, This American Life host and producer Ira Glass & KCUR General Manager Nico Leone

Kauffman Center’s vision of serving everyone in the community is evident from its commitment to providing children and families access to the Center’s performances. More than 165,000 students have attended a matinee performance at the Kauffman Center and more than 85,000 school children have been provided transportation funding through the Kauffman Center’s Open Doors Transportation Fund. Additionally, Open Doors Community Tickets continues to provide opportunities for Kansas City individuals and families to attend performances at no cost through partnerships with social service agencies.

In addition, Kauffman Center, its resident companies and community arts organization partners continue to provide a wide range of free or low-cost programming, including Kansas City Symphony’s free Happy Hour Concerts and Kauffman Center’s own Future Stages Festival, an annual free community event which welcomed 6,000 people and provided opportunity for 600 performers, mostly youth, to perform on stage as part of the event last June. Audiences are also able to experience low-cost presentations and performances priced as low as $10, such as the popular National Geographic Live series, part of Kauffman Center Presents.

Along with artistic successes, Kauffman Center’s first four years have been marked by solid financials due, in no small part, to efficiencies created within the Center’s operating and staffing models and from financial and volunteer support within the Kansas City community. Effective management and strong annual fundraising support have allowed Kauffman Center to operate in the black for each of its first four years, which is considered an exceptional accomplishment in comparison with performing arts centers nationally.

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