The PAC, built in 1993, is on 5.5 acres at 300 S. Fountain Ave. in downtown Springfield. The 86,000-square-foot facility houses administrative officers, classrooms, the ticket office, volunteer suite, two theatres, and rental space for musical performances, theater presentations, conferences, business meetings and other activities.
The college’s master planning process highlighted that the PAC and Hollenbeck Bayley Creative Arts and Conference Center needed a strategic plan, said Crystal Jones, vice president of marketing, diversity and community impact for Clark State.
“In order to plan for the future, an operational and marketing assessment was ideally the next step,” she said. “The community forums were essential to this process. Quantitative data is equally as important as qualitative data from our stakeholders.”
Jones said the PAC is gradually shifting toward a venue management model, which is common for venues similar to the PAC’s size. The previous model included personnel assigned to a specific building and location, but this new venue model will prepare all professionals to work and manage any building and location.
“From a supporter’s perspective, the goal is to increase customer service and ensure that each support and patron has a memorable experience,” she said.
Consultant Alex Keen, associate principal with Keen Independent, conducted site visits, plus interviews with college leadership, arts organizations, PAC staff and community stakeholders.
The first forum in August allowed leadership and professional from Keen Independent Research to listen and respond to stakeholders’ perspectives and questions. The second forum in September allowed to stakeholders that were not able to intend the first one to share their perspectives. The recordings of both forums can be viewed on the PAC website at pac.clarkstate.edu/about-us/pac-community-forum/.
The four-year plan will begin in fiscal year 2023-24 and allows the college to prepare to implement the recommendations accepted, which include:
- continue to develop a venue team model;
-find other funding outside of the college (such as federal, state or local);
-increase fundraising and grow the endowment, programs for the audience; and
-understand that change takes time.
“We are excited to be in the final stage of this assessment. The recommendations are encouraging, and we have already started by updating staff organization,” Jones said.
The staff organization includes: Dan Hunt, who has been with the PAC since 1994, will be the general manager of venue operations; Todd Huffman, who has been with the college for over six years, will be promoted from assistant technical director of the PAC to technical director; and Petra Deason, who has worked for the college for 21 years, will be the manager of ticket office operations.
“After reflecting on the research from Alex Keen, I am very interested in discovering how to market the Center to younger patrons and ensure a vibrant future for the PAC,” Deason said.
Jones added the college is currently assessing if any physical changes will also be done to the PAC.
For more information or tickets to the PAC’s 2022-23 season, visit https://pac.clarkstate.edu.
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