COLDWATER, MI (WTVB) – The Tibbits Opera House in Coldwater has been included in the 2015 Membership of the League of Historic American Theatres (LHAT), a list that also includes all the major NYC Broadway houses operated by Disney, Nederlander, Shubert, and Jujamcyn. As an LHAT member, Tibbits Opera House staff will have access to professional development opportunities and national media attention and will be able to attend the National Conference of Historic Theatres taking place in Nashville this summer.
“I am delighted to include Tibbits Opera House as a member of the League, “ said Ken Stein, Executive Director for LHAT. “We constantly showcase the important contributions being made in arts andpreservation from historic theatres throughout North America, and it will be great to include the contributions from Coldwater.”
The League champions the preservation, restoration and ongoing operations of historic theatres across the United States and Canada. Tibbits Opera 1-louse is among the distinguished list of theatres that have proven to be economic drivers and cultural cornerstones in communities across the nation.
According to research conducted by the League and Americans for the Arts, historic theatres can be positive economic generators able to revitalize entire districts or downtowns. A single historic theatre in a large city can sustain 248 full-time jobs and add more than $ 6 million to household incomes in your community. In a smaller city or town, an historic theatre can sustain 27 full-time jobs and add more than $580,000 to household incomes in the area.
LHAT envisions these unique showcases for human creativity, arts and culture as vital assets in livable communities throughout North America. Research and experience shows that historic theatres are irreplaceable social, economic, historic and cultural resources for their communities. As iconic, creative places of public assembly, they build community loyalty, reinforce community identity and heritage, stimulate downtown revitalization, promote pride of place and anchor creative economies.
