Festival of Arts Nears Lease With Laguna
By SANDI CAIN
The Festival of Arts and Pageant of Masters in Laguna Beach has come a long way from the turmoil it faced three years ago.
In 1999, a divided board of directors planned to move the 67-year-old arts show to San Clemente due to stalled progress on a new lease for the festival grounds with the city.
Now the festival is near signing a new 40-year lease with Laguna Beach, has begun phase one of a capital improvement program and has a new executive director charged with expanding the festival’s audience.
The lease is expected to be complete by the end of the year. It contains a revised formula to determine lease payments for use of the festival grounds that will reduce the festival’s payments by about 75%.
For 2002, the payment would be about $173,000 instead of roughly $700,000 under the old lease. Both city and festival officials said at last week’s membership meeting that the two sides have agreed to the terms “in principle” and are finalizing the details.
Phase one of a $2 million capital improvement program is already under way and includes storm drain upgrades, new workshops for staff and an expanded administration building.
The storm drain project is set to be complete by year’s end. Other portions of phase one should be completed in 2003.
Festival board members reported that 2002 was the fourth consecutive year of sellouts for the 57 performances of the Pageant of Masters, which carried the theme of “Heroes and Heroines.” Ticket sales generated more than $5 million. Another $114,000 was generated by paid admission to the festival exhibits.
Laguna Beach residents received free entry to the art show.
Additional revenue from sponsorships, art sales and special events brought the total for the 2002 show to $6.2 million, a festival record, according to finance director Bob Dietrich.
About 20,000 Pageant tickets already have been sold for the 2003 show entitled “Seasons.” It will be the eighth show directed by Diane Challis Davy and is intended to celebrate “cherished moments of the past,” Davy said.
In other business, new executive director Steven L. Brezzo was introduced to attending members. Brezzo’s credentials include 20 years as director of the San Diego Museum of Art and three years consulting with arts organizations across the U.S. on projects to develop wider audiences for the arts.
Brezzo is charged with the task of expanding the Festival’s visibility year-round, developing community outreach programs and fund raising.
Festival membership in 2002 grew to an all-time high of more than 7,000 members, including 232 business members.
The festival, which has shown exhibits at South Coast Plaza and in Las Vegas, this year expanded with additional projects.
Two sets from a previous show will be included in an upcoming IMAX film to be produced by McGillivray Freeman Films of Laguna Beach. Festival artists also created some of the stage designs used in the recent Paul McCartney tour.
