The PAC has been closed since March 2020 due to COVID-19 restrictions. The closure provided an opportunity to review PAC programming and consider how best to serve the community as Stockton enters its 50th anniversary of teaching in fall 2021. The PAC opened on the Galloway Township campus in October 1976.
The PAC is part of Stockton, said Lisa Honaker, dean of the School of Arts and Humanities, who is leading the rebranding initiative. Our new programming will still be entertaining, but it will also be more inclusive and interdisciplinary, contributing the educational mission of the university.
Programming will be diverse. Performances may also include exhibits or talks.
A U.N. Conference on Refugees at Stockton in October will include a virtual dance performance, talks and exhibits on topics related to the conference including the debut of a new exhibit by the Sara and Sam Schoffer Holocaust Resource Center at Stockton.
We are looking at thematic experiences, and how to bring our students and other areas of the university into partnerships with the PAC, Honaker said. We are considering all options, even cooking demonstrations that can provide a more substantive and enjoyable experience.
A Battle of the Bands competition, starting in September, will offer local bands the chance for public exposure, and give the public a chance to hear local talent.
Partnerships with local and regional choral, dance and theatre companies will provide opportunities for students to learn and artists to create and perform.
New outreach programs will welcome children's programming, international programs, more virtual programming, and outreach to area schools. A summer performing arts camp is under consideration for summer 2022.
The Bay Atlantic Symphony will continue to be a core of the season, offering a series of performances and incorporating the expanded mission into performances.
The Bay Atlantic Symphony has always sought to educate our audiences through music, said Music Director Jed Gaylin. We are excited about the possibilities to collaborate even more with faculty, students and the public.
Several other professional performances are also scheduled, and will be announced as they are finalized.
The university received an $85,000 federal Shuttered Venue Operators Grant to help fund the upcoming season, and is applying for state grants going forward. Anjanette Christy, director of Ticketing Services for the PAC is serving as interim director.
We want the public to know that the PAC is back and will be better than ever, with traditional favorites, and new programming, Honaker said.
A new ticketing system is being purchased and implemented, and a new logo and website are being designed. Information on performances will be posted on the PAC website in late summer.
