The City recently received a $68,942 grant award for the Sunrise Theatre from the Florida Department of State’s Division of Cultural Affairs (FL DCA) under the General Program Support (GPS) category. GPS funding is designed to support the general program activities of an organization that is realizing its stated mission and furthering the state’s cultural objectives by conducting, creating, producing, presenting, staging, or sponsoring cultural exhibits, performances, educational programs, or events or providing professional services as a State Service Organization or Local Arts Agency.
According to Mayor Linda Hudson, “Our beautiful fully-restored Sunrise Theatre for the Performing Arts is an essential social, economic, cultural and educational engine. Traffic generated by performances, educational offerings and summer camps spur millions of dollars in positive economic impact for restaurants, hotels and retailers in our great city.”
For the 2015-2016 Season, the Sunrise Theatre reached $2.7 million in ticket sales. The theatre, now approaching its 10th season, has seen continued growth and development every year in terms of attendance, ticket sales, memberships, number and diversity of programs offered, but especially the breadth and depth of where patrons and visitors are coming from.
The Florida Department of State’s Division of Cultural Affairs is Florida’s legislatively designated state arts agency. The Division promotes the arts and culture as essential to quality of life for all Floridians. To achieve its mission, the Division funds and supports cultural programs that provide artistic excellence, diversity, education, access and economic vitality for Florida’s communities. For more information, visit dos.myflorida.com/cultural.