Kincora & The Arts, Part 5

But with no existing foundation for cultural arts in Loudoun County, its youngest artists and musicians are fighting for venues to practice their craft, and draw financial support from a swiftly dwindling pool of resources.

Loudoun’s first real success with the cultural arts came with the opening of Franklin Park Arts Center in Purcellville on February 2, 2008. The history behind the center, and the efforts to bring the dream to reality, may provide a peek into the challenges faced by those who hope to define Loudoun as a viable home for the arts.

According to the Franklin Park Arts Center, it was in January 1997 that an area theater group first rallied to raise funds to convert a 19th century dairy barn into a theater. The barn had been purchased by Loudoun County, and was to be made into Franklin Park. As fundraising efforts got underway, the barn burned to the ground with only the silo and a stone foundation wall remaining intact.

Determined to see the project succeed, artists and community leaders formed The Barns at Franklin Park, and garnered the support and input of area arts organizations. According to the center’s website, while the insurance money provided a foundation for the fundraising, massive efforts included membership drives, special events and brick and seat sales.

The building of the Franklin Park Arts Center grew in stages, leveraging the talents and work of thousands of volunteers over a six-year period from 1998-2004. In 2004, voters approved a $1.4 million bond to provide the remaining funds necessary to open Franklin Park Arts Center. Although work remains to be done, the Franklin Park Arts Center has a full program supporting area artists and musicians, and playing host to acts like country music singer Kathy Mattea.

Franklin Park Art Center has been considered a success to those who support the arts, but many residents feel the Purcellville location denies easy access for the eastern half of the county.

The Kincora development, located at the terminus of Routes 7 and 28, includes plans for a 118,000 square foot Community Arts Center. According to Mike Scott, lead developer on the project, the idea grew from his own experience driving his daughter into the city to practice with the Washington Ballet. Scott realized that there must be others who were making the endless trek into Washington to pursue the cultural resources provided there, and more parents who just weren’t willing to take the time and effort to make the trek.

Scott realized that Kincora could provide arts education for Loudoun residents. He met with Septime Webre, the Artistic Director of the Washington Ballet, and Peter Jablow, the President and CEO of the Levine School of Music, to see if they both might have an interest in expanding into Loudoun County. His concept was greeted favorably.

Levine partners with the Ballet at THEARC, or “The Town Hall Education Arts and Recreation Campus,” a 110,000-square foot campus opened in Anacostia in October 2005, at the cost of $27 million. According to Jablow, “THEARC is a unique blend of arts and social service organizations situated in one of the most neglected neighborhoods in the District. Imagine how a comparable facility might serve an even larger community in Loudoun County.”

Scott agreed, and modeled Kincora’s proposed performing arts center after THEARC. THEARC’s centerpiece is its 365-seat theatre, which is fully booked year round, hosting between 250-300 events ranging from the Washington Ballet and Levine’s faculty and master class performances, to elementary school graduations and an Economic Summit hosted by Federal Reserve Board Chairman Ben Bernanke.

Every week, more than 1,000 children pass through the doors of  the Boys and Girls Club of Greater Washington, and many take advantage of the Club’s Intel computer club (one of only 100 in the world), where children learn about software, computer graphics, and film editing.

The entire center is acoustically treated for the benefit of musicians and center efficiency, with custom light and temperature controls where necessary. THEARC also hosts a gallery supported by the Corcoran’s ArtReach program, where children from eight to 18 years of age learn to create artwork, which is then displayed in the facility’s gallery.

Over 250 children attend ballet classes at THEARC.  Levine’s music classes range from early childhood music to voice lessons and choruses for seniors. Thirteen music studios were built for teaching classes and lessons in 20 different instruments.

Much like THEARC, Kincora will also go for the "strength in numbers" approach. The developer has agreed to donate land and provide seed money, but will seek organizations, both local and regional, to commit to fundraising efforts and collaboration.

Jablow indicated that bringing together local groups with larger regional entities has worked well at THEARC, as they are able “to complement and support each other in serving the surrounding community.” Scott has been clear with the larger groups that they must work with local groups such as the Loudoun Arts Council so that all may benefit. THEARC has provided a model for this type of relationship between community groups and larger organizations.

 With the success of THEARC, the idea of combining music, dance, theatre and more into a center for arts education at Kincora  appears to be a concept whose time has come.  If history is our greatest teacher, this might prove to offer eastern Loudoun the best opportunity to build a dynamic venue for the arts, and our many residents.