The boards of directors of the Youngstown Symphony Society and the Henry H. Stambaugh Auditorium Association have entered into a management agreement where the staff of Stambaugh Auditorium will provide operational and management support services for the DeYor Performing Arts Center.
The two arts organizations entered into the agreement on Monday, Dec. 14.
Stambaugh will provide general administrative, operations, event booking, marketing and fund development functions as part of the agreement. The sharing of services began in June with the Henry H. Stambaugh Auditorium Association providing bookkeeping services for the Youngstown Symphony Society.
The management agreement seeks to preserve and maximize the usage of the two premier Youngstown performing-arts venues.
A joint committee consisting of members of each of the boards, as well as key staff from both organizations, have been meeting for the past 18 months to establish a plan to share resources, reduce costs and increase efficiencies between the organizations.
“While this collaboration has been in development for quite some time, the financial impact of the COVID pandemic has increased the urgency of its implementation,” said Chris Jaskiewicz, vice president of the Youngstown Symphony Society Board of Directors. The YSS administrative and facility staff has been furloughed at this time while a reorganization plan for the YSS is developed.
“While the arts and culture has been especially hard-hit due to COVID-related cancellations and the ban on mass gatherings, we feel that by sharing services and reducing costs, both organizations will emerge stronger when the pandemic is over,” said Matt Pagac, Stambaugh Auditorium chief executive and operating officer.
“This partnership will help to create the best opportunity to overcome the current challenges and set both organizations on a path for long-term success as well as to ensure the future of the Youngstown Symphony Orchestra,” said Jaskiewicz. “The YSS Board of Directors have every intention of ensuring that the Youngstown Symphony Orchestra will continue as a professional orchestra and will be here when the pandemic is over,” he added.
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