City Newspaper Archives - 7/2007
DEVELOPMENT: How to get a dance center for Garth Fagan
Published on Jul 17, 2007
Of course, Garth Fagan Dance does not have the funding to turn the Monroe Theater into a dance center on its own ("Monroe Theatre for Fagan Dance?" July 11). But as one who has reviewed grant proposals for the National Endowment for the Humanities, I am confident that if the feasibility studies are favorable, and if the city gets behind the proposal, both national and New York State arts funding would become available.
Alvin Ailey Dance and Mark Morris Dance, companies no more distinguished than GFD, have recently been given buildings in New York City. Many of the same funding sources that contributed to those two dance centers would look favorably on a proposal for a Garth Fagan Dance Center in Rochester.
Much is at stake here. With a Rite-Aid east of Goodman Street, the entire Monroe Avenue cultural ambience will receive a fatal wound. On the other hand, a viable performing arts center in the old Monroe Theater would raise property values and business cash flow for the entire neighborhood.
Sam Abrams, Dartmouth Street, Rochester
