Federal Way staff, nonprofit and consultant outline plan to formalize PAC 'collaborative' to boost fundraising and community engagement

Autumn Gressett, the Performing Arts and Events Center community relations liaison and contract administrator, and consultant Joe McElwain presented a plan March 4, 2025, to formalize a three-way "PAC Collaborative" intended to strengthen fundraising, programming and community engagement at the city-owned Performing Arts & Events Center in Federal Way.

The proposal would align three entitiesthe city (the facility owner), OVG 360 (the contracted venue management company), and Arts Foundation Federal Way (a nonprofit supporter)under a shared memorandum of understanding (MOU). McElwain, of JM Arts Consulting, told the City Council study session that many municipal performing arts centers nationwide either delegate operations to a nonprofit or have a formal partnership with a nonprofit because that structure typically strengthens fundraising and audience development.

Why it matters: Federal Way is operating and underwriting the PAC while private contributed revenue remains small. McElwain said a typical balanced revenue mix for a successful center is roughly one-third ticket sales, one-third rentals and one-third fundraising; the original pro forma projected contributed revenue could reach about $750,000 by year five. At the time of the meeting, Arts Foundation Federal Way was contributing primarily to education programs, at roughly $60,000 to $100,000 annually, and the…