Schaumburg Officials Approve Renaming Prairie Center for the Arts to Honor Village President Al Larson

Schaumburg Village officials unanimously approved a proposal to rename the Prairie Center for the Arts to recognize Village President Al Larson, a passionate supporter of the arts who is celebrating his 30th year as Mayor.

At their Village Board meeting held July 25, trustees agreed upon renaming the center to the "Al Larson Prairie Center for the Arts" to acknowledge and celebrate Village President Larson's longstanding tenure of public service and his passion for cultural arts programming in Schaumburg.

"I am honored that my fellow board members would consider attaching my name to an organization whose mission I care very deeply about," said Village President Al Larson. "It has always been my belief that art is the one thing that binds us together as a society. It has been my pleasure to have been a part of the process to share the benefits of cultural arts with the community that I love so much."

Village President Al Larson became a trustee in 1975 where he served for 12 years before being elected Village President in 1987. As trustee, Larson was instrumental in preserving the property for the Prairie Center to be built as a place to engage the community. It opened in 1986 at 201 Schaumburg Court and, with Larson's support, was expanded in 1997 to include additional dressing rooms, lecture hall, video production studio, meeting rooms, and additional restrooms.

Since the building was opened, Larson has been a devoted patron of the center's programs as a season ticket holder, attending a majority of performances held each year, in addition to the Summer Breeze concerts held at lakeside at the outdoor stage.

Aside from his influence in the Prairie Center's success, Larson has broadened cultural programming in the village, which includes expanding the Schaumburg's Prairie Arts Festival, which is now a juried outdoor art fair held over Memorial Day weekend that attracts more than 100 fine artists. He encouraged the village's partnership with Powerhouse Productions in presenting a program each February in honor of Black History Month. Larson was also responsible for encouraging the collaboration with the Schaumburg Township District Library and the Schaumburg Park District to present summer programming in Town Square.

He established a partnership with The Chicago Athenaeum that led to a sculpture garden and their presence in Schaumburg. Larson also supported bringing the Trickster Art Gallery to Schaumburg, which is the only Native American owned and operated arts institution in the State of Illinois dedicated to providing space for first-voice, multi-cultural arts.

Larson is a board member of the Arts Alliance Illinois, having served as a director for many years. Schaumburg was recognized as an "Arts Friendly Community" in 2003 by the organization. In addition, Larson is also a member of the village's 1% for Art Committee, which oversees various art projects in Schaumburg.

Larson's passion for the arts extends to young performers where he has cultivated various programs to help encourage their growth and development in the arts. He coordinated a theatre workshop for young people that led to an annual summer musical; developed the Schaumburg Youth Orchestra; and initiated the Schaumburg Dance Ensemble, bringing ballet to the Prairie Center.

"For someone who has been such a champion and supporter of cultural arts in the community, it is fitting that Mayor Larson's legacy be associated with the Prairie Center," said Cultural Services Director Betsy Armistead. "Mayor Larson has been the guiding force behind the Prairie Center, its mission and so many of the community's arts initiatives, and I wholeheartedly applaud the decision to recognize his enduring contributions."

The village is planning a special event to be held in the coming months that will celebrate the renaming of the center.

Opened in 1986, the Prairie Center for the Arts celebrated its 30th year in Schaumburg in 2016. The Prairie Center has become one of the premiere performance venues in the northwest suburban area, hosting local entertainment as well as international touring acts. The intimate 442-seat theatre is home to a variety of acts and performances, including the award-winning Schaumburg Youth Orchestra, Schaumburg Dance Ensemble, Schaumburg Choral Program, Schaumburg Summer Theater and Screen Test Student Fest, as well as many other local and national acts.

Information about the Prairie Center for the Arts and its programming can be found at www.prairiecenter.org or by dialing 311 in the village.