About Us:
With the opening of the Clark State Community College Performing Arts Center on November 6, 1993, the dream of creating a center for the arts in Springfield was realized. Artists and audiences alike have been thrilled with the beauty, comfort, and quality of this $15.2 million state-of-the-art performing arts complex. Owned and operated by Clark State Community College, the Center received wide public support as reflected in its funding of $6 million from the state and $8 million from a public capital campaign.
The Center serves as a performance home for Clark State's own season of events as well as six area resident art groups: the Frontiers, Ohio Lyric Theatre, Springfield Arts Council, Springfield Civic Theatre, Springfield Symphony Orchestra, and Wittenberg University. In addition, the Center provides space for numerous other art and community organizations for a wide variety of events from Broadway shows and top name entertainment to high school graduations and area dance recitals.
The Center also houses Clark State's academic theatre program. Students can work toward an Associate of Arts degree in theatre with a concentration in performance or technical theatre. Students receive classroom and hands-on professional experience, providing them with an excellent education to transfer to a four-year institution or enter the work world. The Center also works with local school systems, organizations, and senior citizens to enhance arts education.
With its 1,500 seat Kuss Auditorium, 175 seat Turner Studio Theatre, and the Salerno Educational Center, the Center is able to accommodate a range of events and educational activities. The Center also strives to serve our patrons with special needs. Accommodations include special seating for wheelchair patrons, listening enhancement devices, signed interpreted performances upon request, and special parking. Since its opening, nearly over one million people have attended a variety of events at the Center.
