Community Impact

The T. Furth Center for Performing Arts will provide a prominent place for the arts in the lives of residents and students, expand the cultural resources of Steuben County and create an environment where artists can thrive.

A comprehensive community needs assessment (completed in 2006) confirmed that opportunities for creating, appreciating and interacting with the arts was dishearteningly absent from northeast Indiana, limiting opportunities for students, youth and families.

The nearest artistic venues for the public to inspire and be inspired are nearly an hour away, which limits the potential the arts have to elevate and uplift lives.

The artistic void triggered Trine University leaders and trustees, along with the Steuben County Commissioners, to begin to strategically infuse the arts into the community. Then, two families of trustees funded the purchase of an historic building in the heart of Angola and gave renovation seed money to create a performing arts center. The building, which served as the Angola Christian Church for a century, will reinforce our sense of tradition while serving as a space where generations to come can join to improve their communities, lives and experiences.

References:
Trine University letter to the Franklin H. and Ruth L. Wells Foundation, 2009.
"How the Arts Impact Communities: An introduction to the literature on arts impact studies," Joshua Guetzkow, Princeton University, 2002.