Box Elder County is fertile ground, not just for produce, but especially for the arts. Members of our community have gone on to greatness in their craft – from Broadway to Hollywood. Our community’s prioritization of music, theater, and dance has deep roots reaching back into the 19th century and continues on today – more vibrant than ever.
As our community continues to grow, the needs to facilitate the arts has expanded. Our high schools, among other smaller venues have served our people well over the years. But, even our large auditoriums are under a tremendous load as they must prioritize growing academic needs but also serve community organizations.
Community performing arts organizations and extra-curricular programs have found it challenging to find suitable places to perform or host events. Many groups look to Ogden and Logan (which are bustling arts communities in their own rights) to support their performances.
Aspire Performance Academy was founded to support the arts in Box Elder County by supporting other arts organizations through classes and curriculum offered directly by the Academy, partnering with local government to bolster long-term support for the arts, and perhaps most ambitiously, building a performing arts center to house performances and classes – here in our own community.
Building a center for the arts is a bold undertaking! Aspire has partnered with BGW Architects and Brigham City Corporation to build a 65,000+ square foot facility with that will accommodate the needs of our community, featuring:
- 1000-seat auditorium, equipped to accommodate local and touring productions
- Large event/gymnasium space, suitable for exhibits, athletic competitions, and conferences
- New 16,000 square foot home for the Brigham City Museum of Art & History
Building a cultural hub is expensive! At a projected cost of $28M, raising funds for this venture is a daunting, but possible task. Our multi-faceted approach includes the following:
- Private/public partnerships with local, state, and federal governments and programs
- Corporate partners looking to give back to the community either financially or in kind (i.e. building materials/services)
- Philanthropic support from like-minded individuals and foundations that value the benefits of the arts to the community/region
- Public support financially and volunteer efforts
It is paramount that this facility be affordable to use. Rates to use the facility are intended to be similar or less than the facilities our arts organizations are currently using.
Progress!
- Secured land on Forest Street at the corner of 1200 West – not far from where Brigham City’s historic Opera House was built in the 1800s.
- Formed an exciting partnership with the Brigham City Museum of Art & History to raise the vision of the facility to include the visual arts.
- Partnered with the Box Elder Chamber of Commerce to work with local and state leadership to tap into available arts funding.
- Partnered with several local philanthropists to secure funding for site work and permits.
- Zoning for site complete. Utility access on site complete.
- The Brigham City Museum has an exciting new fundraising opportunity for our sitework and permit fees, to be launched November of 2024.
- Bids for Civil Engineering being accepted. Civil Engineering slated for completion January 2025.
As part of our “quiet phase” in the project, Aspire has been working hard to rally support from other local arts organizations, businesses, and members of the community from philanthropists to educators.
Besides providing much needed support, this new venue stands to improve the tourism economy throughout our region. A facility like this is an educational, cultural, and financial investment. The call for a home for the arts in Box Elder County has been loud and clear, and Aspire is here to answer that call. But, we can’t do it alone. As a non-profit, charitable organization, our project is intended to augment and unify other stakeholders in our arts community, not eclipse them. This project is certainly not a money-making venture, the profits that come from a cultural hub such as this are found in the enlightened minds and wider-opened hearts of everyone from those performing, attending, and participating in events. This gathering place can be a powerful force for good and unity in an ever-changing and shifting world.
We hope to move out of the “quiet phase” soon. Once we have completed a sound foundation of institutional and partner trust, we will be thrilled to open up the effort to the wider public. There has been a lot of talk already, with more to come as we continue to gather support.
The cultural heart of Box Elder County is old, but strong; Aspire Academy for the Arts wants to give it a home.
Please join us in our journey. It will take a lot of work, resources, and commitment, but it will be worth it. Keep an eye on this site for updates and news!