SURPRISE — The city of Surprise and the Dysart Unified School District are now jointly managing the Vista Center for the Arts, one of the West Valley’s main performing arts venues, a job the district previously handled alone, ABC15 reported.
The city has invested about $500,000 in improvements so far, with upgrades expected to reach $2.5 million over five years. A new lighting system is one of the first projects, said Julie Akerly, the city’s arts and culture manager.
The partnership keeps professional acts, including bands and magicians, coming to the venue. “If they want to come see a show, it’s right in their neighborhood,” said Danae Marinelli, Dysart’s director of arts, adding that the district could not have done it on its own.
Some visiting artists are also holding workshops where Dysart students can learn directly from professionals.
Sources: ABC15. Thee Arizona Times uses AI-assisted reporting reviewed against the sources listed.
Photo: RandomMainstream / CC0 via Wikimedia Commons.
