Norris Cultural Arts Center thinking big

The Dellora A. Norris Cultural Arts Center on the campus of St. Charles East High School has been out of the public spotlight for the past few years.

Arts center board members intend to change that by creating a multicultural, multiyear event that highlights the most significant four years in American history.

Beginning next spring, the Norris Cultural Arts Center will take a page out of the St. Charles Art and Music Festival format of the past in presenting "The Civil War at 150 Years: A Cultural Arts Retrospective."

"The cultural arts center has been here since 1978 and for most of that time we have had a pretty robust programming effort of producing our own events and shows here," board member Mark Smith said at a media briefing Wednesday at the arts center.

"For the last few years, we've kind of fallen back from that and relied more on renting the theater," Smith added. "We were looking for a strategy to get us back in play as a producer of events, and we came to the realization that we are on the verge of a very important historical anniversary and, with that in mind, we decided to think big."

That thinking will result in four years of concerts, exhibits, re-enactments, discussions and various other activities related to the anniversary of the nation's Civil War.

The ambitious event will begin on April 16 with a concert at the Norris Theater that will feature the Jay Ungar and Molly Mason Family Band, composers of the theme music for the PBS "Civil War" documentary series.

Board members believe they have chosen a theme that will resonate with all facets of the local communities, as well as with Civil War historians, buffs and re-enactors from throughout the country.

"This event will try to employ some of the same strategies as the old St. Charles Art and Music Festival, which was held every other summer, in that it will take place in various settings throughout the community," Smith said. "The difference is that it will be much more linear, and not packing everything into a two-week period."

Before briefing the media, NCAC board members met with various representatives of the community from the schools, library, city council, arts council and visitors bureau.

"We wanted to have a consensus and for everyone to be aware of what we are planning, and the spontaneous generation of ideas was amazing," Smith said.

"We are in the very early planning stages of this, considering many different types of events, and creative development will be a key," Smith added. "This event will have many opportunities for volunteers and anyone who has expertise in this field, and we are trying to make this as inclusive as possible."

Tapping into the local history of the Underground Railroad and the area's Civil War soldiers and leaders, as well as the fact that Illinois was a leading contributor of men and supplies, also will be an important aspect, Smith said.

NCAC Board President James Collins is confident that a five-year $250,000 fundraising project to fund the entire series will be supported by individuals, businesses, grants and other sources.

"The Civil War continues to fascinate, educate and influence the American people," Collins said.

Collins and board member Tom Tsipas were quick to credit Smith with the original idea for the celebration of the Civil War's sesquicentennial.

But Smith was downplaying his role.

"It really has been a collaborative thought process," Smith said. "It's the old line that success has a thousand fathers and failure is an orphan. Let's make sure we have a thousand fathers here."