Keystone campaign funds future of PAC

APPLETON - The Fox Cities Performing Arts Center wants to stay center stage in the industry for years to come. Friday the P.A.C. began a new fundraising campaign to help make sure it can cover future maintenance and improvements.

From Broadway shows to the performing arts, The P.A.C. says it has been a premier destination since it opened in 2002.

"Provide opportunities for kids to come and see shows, provide different types of arts experiences that aren't always the most revenue producing but help us become a better community," said P.A.C. Board Chairman John Hogerty.

Friday, PAC officials kicked off the public phase of the Keystone Campaign. It's looking to raise eight million dollars. That's on top of 17-million already raised in private donations.

"It's really part of the financial structure of how PAC's are put together," said P.A.C. President Susan Stockton.

The P.A.C. makes a case for being an important part of not just downtown Appleton but all of Northeast Wisconsin. A FOX 11 Fact Check shows the arts & culture industry in Northeast Wisconsin generates $32.3 million of economic activity annually. The PAC generates about 55% of that money, about 17.8 million a year.

"It will really secure our finances and make us stable in the future and that is the goal of any endowment campaign," said Keystone Campaign Co-Chair Barb Merry.

After 10 years the P.A.C. has begun to make some upgrades, including new furniture and new digital signage throughout the building. Stockton says there are currently no major maintenance issues, but the Keystone Campaign will help with funding during tough economic times and if any issues do creep up.

"We spent an awful lot of money building the building and you will have major repairs that will come due, like all houses you will need a roof at some point and other large expenditures."

Ensuring the quality shows people have come to expect, continue far into the future.

P.A.C. officials say they hope to complete their Keystone Campaign by June of 2014.