The city awarded a contract to the Union County Performing Arts Center (UCPAC) almost four times bigger than what it’s historically given to the facility for assistance with downtown events.
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City Council unanimously approved a resolution (AR-94-22) during its regular meeting on April 11 awarding a $220,000 contract to the Union County Performing Arts Center (UCPAC) for technical and programming assistance associated with the mayor’s summer concert series. The Special Improvement District (SID) 2022 will contribute $56,000, about 25%, toward the total for one of the concerts.
“The city needs from time to time on an as-needed basis, technical and programming assistance in order to provide such arts-based programs to the public,” according to the resolution. The arts center is “uniquely qualified to provide such technical and programming assistance sought by the city for the arts-based programs that the city may offer from time to time.”
Two concerts have been added to the Mayor’s Summer Concert Series this year, when the mayor and three at-large candidates are up for re-election, facing a challenge in the June Democratic primary. Winners of the Democratic primary will advance to the November General Election. They’re likely to face two Republicans who filed to run in the GOP primary in June.
The adjustment comes from the Mayor’s Summer Concerts Series, according to the city’s public relations coordinator, Lauren Ferrigno. “Typically the payments go through the talent managers directly, however, this year, they are going through UCPAC which increased the contract amount,” Ferrigno said via email.
Previously, City Council has awarded contracts to UCPAC for assistance with downtown concerts in the amount of $80,000, in 2017, March 2016, and April 2015.
UCPAC reported total revenues of $1.425 million and total expenses of $1.423 million for the year ending June 2020, according to the most recent tax form available on Guidestar.org, which preceded the pandemic. The tax form for the fiscal year ending June 2021 likely was filed in November. The facility was closed for six months in 2021, from April through September, which no doubt impacted revenues and expenses.
Opened in 1928, the 1,334-seat arts center was acquired by Union County in 2006 for $1.3 million, which leased it back to the nonprofit. The county spent about $6 million on renovations and expansion in 2008.
The 93-year-old facility has been under new leadership since September, when Craig Sumberg was hired as the new executive director. He previously was executive director of the South Orange Performing Arts Center and succeeded Brian Remo.
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