Governance & Operations

The stakeholders have established a joint operating agreement that addresses how the facility will be owned, operated, governed and maintained. Ownership of the facility and land will be shared by the School District, Village of New Albany and Plain Township.

The school board and administration will oversee and fund all school programming. The school district also will be responsible for the day-to-day maintenance of the facility, including utilities, which will be consistent with other school campus facilities.

A newly formed 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, governed by a board appointed by the stakeholders, will oversee all community programming. An executive director, reporting to the governing board, will oversee the daily operation of the venue. Responsibilities include scheduling of events, programming, fundraising for certain programs, and supervision of additional support staff. The executive director will work closely with a designated school representative to consider school curriculum needs in order to enrich the school's programming. As an example, when the foundation recently brought Pulitzer Prize winning author and historian, Doris Kearns Goodwin, to lecture to a community audience, Kearns Goodwin also participated in a master class with high school honors students. This kind of "shared programming" is a key component to the mission of the arts center.

It is anticipated that the school district will utilize the facility most frequently during the day and that the community will use the facility mostly in the evenings or on weekends.