Schwartz Center for the Arts

Connecting with and inspiring the community is the bottom line of the Schwartz's future; our strategy will involve listening to the local community, understanding its interests, and directly addressing those in our programming.

Stimulate Growth of the region's creative community and strengthening its artistic infrastructure. Putting Dover “On The Map," artistically. Leverage the Schwartz Theater as a catalyst for community transformation.

Build a sustainable organization by mobilizing resources and stewarding them faithfully.

We are updating the demographics from a community report conducted five years ago. Additional data is being collected through community online and email surveys. Our social media websites are interactive and we are constantly asking the questions that will allow us to understand the wants of our community.

We have already begun work on stimulating growth of the arts. We are currently presenting the visual artwork of a local painter and another local sculptor. These shows are creating a lot of interest. A partnership with the Dover Art League is being established.

Building a sustainable organization is happening with an established yearly fundraiser; The First Schwartz Center's LipSync Battle contest is well on the way to fruition. We also have begun submitting grants for programs that will help sustain the theater, by providing the necessary funds to offer important services to the members of our community. For example, a summer arts camp program, a teen program for low socio-economic students to participate In arts education and also work part-time in mentor partnerships to learn all facets of theater production and performance. We have begun showing films again, as there was a high request and this has proved fruitful.

The number of followers on our social websites is growing at a strong and sustained rate. We have approximately 175 completed surveys providing valuable data for our programming decisions. Our marketing staff person is able to maintain our website, social media and the surveys daily.

We have the facility to grow our visual arts shows and partnerships. We have a beautiful gallery on our 3rd floor just next to our spacious ballroom and plenty of space to display visual artwork throughout the three story building. Many of the items already on display are offered for sale. This is a new undertaking and so far has been very successful.

We are adding several positions to our staff to help generate revenue. Our Sales and Rentals Manager has begun working to increase and streamline our room rental services. We have filed the paperwork necessary to be on the state's vendor list. Marketing is working on developing a spread of information on our website. Two additional staff members will bring a tiered subscribers program and a quarterly fundraiser program.

Our current board was recently seated in May 2016. The center went through a leadership change. However, we have been focused and on task since our installment. The history of the Schwartz Center is inconsistent, but this board is committed to making the center successful in its mission.