Port Townsend: Emerging effort to build performing arts center no secret in arts community

PORT TOWNSEND — Leaders in the arts community and a city councilwoman are organizing an effort to build a state-of-the-art visual performing arts center.

Although discussions have been held for more than a year, the proposal is just emerging in Port Townsend civic and business circles.

Port Townsend City Councilwoman Michelle Sandoval, the unofficial leader of the effort, said the loose-knit group trying for the center wanted to keep the idea hush-hush to avoid misinformation being passed around in the community.

“We put out information to the arts community and asked them to join us in theory,” Sandoval said.

“We wanted their support and to include everybody’s vision.”

Sandoval said the group hopes to build a 250-seat center housing art displays and on-stage musical and theatrical performances.

No cost estimate for the project has been broached.

Documents obtained during a Jefferson County Economic Development Council meeting earlier this month call for a 250-seat performance hall with a high ceiling, good acoustics and facilities for videography.

A rehearsal area would be large enough to lay out the set for an upcoming show.

The visual arts center, according to the documents, would have 20-foot-high walls.

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The rest of the story is in Wednesday’s Peninsula Daily News.

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