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Tibbets reports artistic success but slow audience rebound; plans fundraising and school outreach
Summary
A Tibbets representative said the 2025 summer theater season was artistically successful but attendance lagged; the organization plans fundraisers including a marketplace Oct. 25, an auction/gala the following week with a November 1 donation deadline, and renewed school programming to restore pre‑COVID outreach.
A Tibbets representative told the City of Coldwater Downtown Development Authority on Aug. 27 that the theater closed its summer season artistically satisfied but with attendance below expectations and that the organization is pursuing additional fundraising and renewed school outreach.
"Attendance did not happen the way we had anticipated. I was really hoping that we would see a little bit more rebound," the speaker said, noting pandemic impacts and reductions in arts funding that trickle from federal to state to local levels.
Tibbets plans several events and fundraising efforts this fall and winter. The theater is hosting a rental event on Sept. 6 and a benefit concert staged by Diane Pridgen and Suzanne Wise that the speaker said will coincide with Tibbets’ birthday; proceeds will go to Tibbets school programming. The group is changing the format of its annual auction: on Oct. 25 it will stage "Tiffany's Treasures," a marketplace sale of donated items; the main auction and gala will follow the week after, with a donation deadline the speaker listed as Nov. 1. The gala will include a staged dinner, dueling pianos and interspersed live auction items.
The speaker said Tibbets aims to rebuild its school programming to reach levels recorded before the COVID shutdown (around 2019), when the organization brought roughly five different performances into local schools. The fiscal year ends Oct. 30, and staff said they are pursuing short‑term fundraising before that date to close gaps in the budget.
Ending: The speaker invited board members to attend upcoming events and to support items for the auction; volunteers and donors will be asked for assistance in the coming weeks.
