Ruth Eckerd Hall
Encyclopedia
Ruth Eckerd Hall is a 73000 square feet (6,781.9 m²) performing arts venue, located in Clearwater, Florida
, in the Tampa Bay
area and is part of the Richard B. Baumgardner Center for the Performing Arts.
The concert hall is named after Ruth Eckerd, the wife of Jack Eckerd
, and is the regular performance venue for the Florida Orchestra.
Its 2,180 seat auditorium features continental seating, with no center aisle.
Construction cost $14.5 million with $9 million donated by the private sector and the remaining $5.5 million provided in the form of a mortgage. The Hall was dedicated and opened on October 15, 1983.
Created to own, manage and maintain the land and the facility, Ruth Eckerd Hall, Inc. is a non-profit presenting organization, while the Ruth Eckerd Hall Foundation, Inc. obtains funding for debt retirement and the ongoing operation of the center.
Each year, over 350,000 adult and young audience members visit Ruth Eckerd Hall for performances ranging from world renowned classical artists and dance companies to Broadway musicals and pop stars. Through its many arts education programs, the education department of Ruth Eckerd Hall serves over 130,000 students and adults annually.
The commitment of the Board of Directors of both organizations and the management staff is to continue to present the finest performing arts and provide educational opportunities in the performing arts to all segments of the community.
Locationary-Ruth Eckerd Hall Center for Performing Arts 24
Clearwater, Florida
Clearwater is a city located in Pinellas County, Florida, US, nearly due west of Tampa and northwest of St. Petersburg. In the west of Clearwater lies the Gulf of Mexico and in the east lies Tampa Bay. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 108,787. It is the county seat of...
, in the Tampa Bay
Tampa Bay
Tampa Bay is a large natural harbor and estuary along the Gulf of Mexico on the west central coast of Florida, comprising Hillsborough Bay, Old Tampa Bay, Middle Tampa Bay, and Lower Tampa Bay."Tampa Bay" is not the name of any municipality...
area and is part of the Richard B. Baumgardner Center for the Performing Arts.
The concert hall is named after Ruth Eckerd, the wife of Jack Eckerd
Jack Eckerd
Jack Eckerd , was an American businessman who was a major innovator in drugstore retailing, and a public servant, politician and philanthropist.-Biography:...
, and is the regular performance venue for the Florida Orchestra.
Its 2,180 seat auditorium features continental seating, with no center aisle.
History
In 1977, the Kapok Tree Corporation donated 38 acres (153,780.7 m²) to the City of Clearwater with the stipulation that a performing arts center be built on the property. The bequest mandated that the construction begin within two years, and in 1979 a ground breaking ceremony was held. At its inception, a group of dedicated volunteers in the community stepped forward to organize the effort and obtain the necessary resources for its completion. Among these leaders, Jack and Ruth Eckerd were instrumental in the project’s success. The main auditorium is named in Mrs. Eckerd’s honor. The Center’s main name recognizes Richard B. Baumgardner, the founder of the Kapok Tree Corporation. The facility is a Frank Lloyd Wright inspired building with Taliesin Associated Architects, led by William Wesley Peters doing the design work.Construction cost $14.5 million with $9 million donated by the private sector and the remaining $5.5 million provided in the form of a mortgage. The Hall was dedicated and opened on October 15, 1983.
Created to own, manage and maintain the land and the facility, Ruth Eckerd Hall, Inc. is a non-profit presenting organization, while the Ruth Eckerd Hall Foundation, Inc. obtains funding for debt retirement and the ongoing operation of the center.
Each year, over 350,000 adult and young audience members visit Ruth Eckerd Hall for performances ranging from world renowned classical artists and dance companies to Broadway musicals and pop stars. Through its many arts education programs, the education department of Ruth Eckerd Hall serves over 130,000 students and adults annually.
The commitment of the Board of Directors of both organizations and the management staff is to continue to present the finest performing arts and provide educational opportunities in the performing arts to all segments of the community.
External links
Locationary-Ruth Eckerd Hall Center for Performing Arts 24