Alaska Arts Southeast, the nonprofit arm of the Sitka Fine Arts Camp, will now receive an annual fee for managing the Sitka Performing Arts Center. In a special meeting Tuesday, the Sitka School Board awarded the local nonprofit a one-year contract to manage the center, with four optional extension years.
The Sitka Fine Arts Camp has been managing the PAC since it was built in 2008 in exchange for an annual stipend of about $100,000. Starting in 2019, they agreed to forgo a stipend to save the school district money, instead collecting revenue from rentals. In March of this year, they requested an annual fee to defray some of the costs of managing the facility.
In a formal request for proposals, Sitka Fine Arts Camp brought forth the only bid, asking for $125,000 annually with a three percent increase each year.
Board president Tristan Guevin said he was grateful for the organization’s management so far.
“The level of expertise to manage that is one that we as a district don’t have, and you all do have, so we just really appreciate that,” he said. “You know, it benefits our students and our families, so we appreciate everything you all do.”
The school board unanimously approved that bid on Tuesday. The district will work with the city and Alaska Arts Southeast to develop a contract.
Editor’s note: This story has been updated to reflect the history of Alaska Arts Southeast’s relationship to the Performing Arts Center.
