Broadway Utica Launches Advisory Circle to Strengthen Community Engagement Across the Mohawk Valley
Broadway Utica is inviting community leaders, professionals, and engaged residents to apply for its newly established Advisory Circle, a one-year volunteer leadership initiative designed to deepen community engagement and strengthen connections between the arts and the broader Central New York and Mohawk Valley communities.
The Advisory Circle will bring together individuals from a variety of industries and backgrounds to share ideas, provide feedback, and help not only Broadway Utica better understand the needs and interests of the communities it serves, but leaders from various organizations. Through conversation and collaboration, participants will explore ways to expand access to the arts and entertainment industry while identifying opportunities to strengthen partnerships across the region.
Members of the Advisory Circle will participate in bi-monthly in-person meetings beginning in July, where discussions will focus on topics such as community engagement, arts participation, marketing trends, sponsorship alignment, and how audiences choose to spend their entertainment dollars. The group will also examine barriers that may limit access to the arts and live entertainment.
“Broadway Utica has always been about more than the performances on stage,” said Danielle Padula, Executive Director of Broadway Utica. “The Advisory Circle will help us listen more closely to our community and bring together voices from different industries and perspectives. By working together, we can strengthen connections across the Mohawk Valley and ensure that the arts continue to play a meaningful role in our region’s future and to give our local community what they want in ways they can afford and access it.”
Participants will serve as community ambassadors, sharing insights from their industries and networks while helping distribute surveys and gather feedback about arts engagement and entertainment trends. Advisory Circle members will also help identify opportunities for collaboration between businesses, organizations, and cultural institutions throughout the area.
“The Advisory Circle reflects Broadway Utica’s commitment to listening to the community we serve,” said Anne Milograno, President of the Board of Directors for Broadway Utica. “Whether someone is a banker, lawyer, business owner, educator, student, or parent, every perspective helps us better understand the people who make up our audience and the broader Mohawk Valley. We believe the arts thrive through collaboration, not competition, and this initiative will help us shape our future in a diverse way. The theater should be a place where everyone feels welcome, and we want to learn how we can continue doing that better.”
Broadway Utica encourages applications from individuals who are passionate about the arts, community engagement, and regional collaboration. The organization hopes to assemble a diverse group representing fields such as education, healthcare, business, nonprofit leadership, marketing, and community development. You do not have to be in the arts to apply, you just have to have a passion for it!
Applications are now open.
Individuals interested in learning more or applying can visit:
https://broadwayutica.org/advisory-circle/
Questions? Contact Danielle Padula at 315-624-9444 or Danielle@BroadwayUtica.org
About Broadway Utica
For more than 65 years, Broadway Utica has brought nationally touring Broadway productions and performing arts experiences to audiences across Central New York. In addition to presenting Broadway shows, the organization offers a wide range of educational and community programs designed to connect people of all ages to the arts and strengthen the cultural fabric of the region.