Victoria Theatre’s CE0 bullish on area’s arts
Ty Sutton ‘impressed’ with way Dayton, surrounding area support the arts.
Ty Sutton, who took over in August, admires Dayton’s support for the arts, seeks to create good shared experiences.
It’s an exciting time for the Victoria Theatre Association. In addition to the kickoff of the Premiere Broadway musical season — Oct. 2-7 with “School of Rock” — folks in our region are eagerly anticipating the opening of the PNC Arts Annex at the corner of Second and Ludlow streets. The space, which includes a 250-seat performance venue, will be used for intimate stage productions and educational programs.
Overseeing those upcoming events as well as a variety of other programming and venues — including the Benjamin & Marian Schuster Center, the Victoria Theatre, the Metropolitan Arts Center and Citilites restaurant — is the VTA’s new president and CEO, Ty Sutton. Sut-
ton, who joined the organization in August after three years as the inaugural executive director of the Butler Arts Center at Butler University, brings more than 20 years of arts venue management experience as well as extensive fundraising, marketing and programming knowledge to Dayton.
He was chosen after a six-month international search conducted by an arts executive recruiting firm. We sat down with him to talk about his move to Dayton and his new job.
‘I think the state of the arts is very dynamic right now. Things are changing quickly. Technology has created opportunities for people to experience things virtually in a way that didn’t exist a few years ago. I think the challenge we face right now is to bring people together to experience something that is shared. ’ Ty Sutton
What is your role as an arts administrator? How did you choose this career?
My role is overseeing day-to-day operations, administration of staff and the programming of its venues. The president and CEO is also accountable for the fiscal health of the organization. I report to a board of trustees, made up of volunteers and leaders of the community.
Personally, I never thought I would be an arts administrator. I always knew I had a mind for business and it led me to begin promoting concerts while at the University of Utah. Eventually I became the director of programming. Now, 20 years later, my career as an arts administrator has nurtured a love for all different types of programming. It is so inspiring to see how art brings together a community of diverse backgrounds and, in turn, makes people’s lives better.
Many years ago I was on an airplane, sitting next to a woman with whom I seemed to have nothing in common. We made the usual small talk, but it wasn’t until she started listening to music that I realized we had so much in common. Theater, music, dance or spoken word — they all bring people
Victoria Theatre Association’s new president and CEO
together. Today’s technology tends to make people feel more isolated than connected. The arts provide a way for people to feel as if they are part of a shared experience. I believe those experiences are more important now than any time in history
What appealed to you about this job?
I am really impressed with the way that Dayton and the surrounding community support the arts. It is rare to find a community whose generosity has enabled professional dance, theater, philharmonic and opera companies to thrive at a time when many others are struggling. The quality and variety of venues in a community of this size also show the endless commitment residents of the Miami Valley have to ensure a great quality of life to their neighbors and future generations.
My family and I were struck with how humble and proud Dayton is of its arts groups, world class venues, and rich history.
What were some of your early influences in terms of the arts?
Growing up in San Francisco, I was always involved in the arts and started singing in choirs at a young age. I had the opportunity to see opera, ballet and theater and participate in lots of different productions, but I knew I wasn’t going to be a performer. As a university student, I had the opportunity to work on a music festival in the mid 1990s and I just fell into the business. I met my future wife
around the same time she began her career as a professional ballerina and dancer. Her influence has broadened my interests and exposure to many different professional companies in a variety of genres.
Can you share a few highlights of your career?
I have had the opportunity to operate several performing arts centers and I have learned immensely from those experiences. As audience services manager for the Lesher Center for the Arts in Walnut Creek, Calif., I had an opportunity to work for a presenting venue as well as a producing organization. I was involved in producing plays and musicals for Center Repertory Company and received a great education on how to create a show from the ground up.
As the general manager of the Lincoln Center in Fort Collins, Colo., I was given a project to renovate an existing performing arts center from top to bottom. The venues have been a tremendous asset for the community.
Next, I was asked to join the Wagner Noël Performing Arts Center in Midland, Texas, as they opened a performing arts center. While there, we created new programs and a new strategic plan and mission. It was a huge undertaking and I learned some valuable skills on how to listen to people, discover their needs and wants as well as how to balance them in the best way possible.
My most recent position was unique as I worked with Butler University (Indianapolis) to take several venues that had run independently for decades and unify them, creating a cohesive brand, mission, and vision as well merging the individual staffs together into The Butler Arts Center. I am happy with the success, increases in attendance and participation from the students and Indianapolis community.
What are the challenges of your profession?
I think the state of the arts is very dynamic right now. Things are changing quickly. Technology has created opportunities for people to experience things virtually in a way that didn’t exist a few years ago.
I think the challenge we face right now is to bring people together to experience something that is shared. Netflix and streaming media have created an abundance of options for people, but technology often isolates us from others. I think the performing arts has a unique opportunity to create events that give people a chance to share things together.
Another challenge we face is that many students are not receiving as much education in music, theater, or dance as past generations. The answer is to create a connection with students and help them to understand the importance the arts brings to their lives. To attract these students is to plan diverse programming, create opportunities for schools to attend performances and have a dialogue with teachers regarding what is important to their students. Taking teaching artists into schools is a vital piece in early exposure to the arts. We also want to create programs that welcome families to our venues. I have a strong commitment to this because I have young children of my own and I love to bring them to the theater!
Your wife, Polly Creer Sutton, is a retired professional ballerina. Tell us what it’s like to have a performer in the family.
Being married to someone who performed at such a high level in her own career has allowed me to better understand the needs of the performers we bring to our venues. It has allowed me an understanding of how touring companies come together, who they are, and what their needs are on the road.
Polly has a great network of friends and colleagues who have done everything from ballet to Broadway and learning about their experiences in the industry has made me a better promoter and venue manager. What I love about her and her career, is that she was always willing to try new things and she always brought so much joy to her performances. As we get older, watching her connect with her students has taught me how much the arts can make a young person’s life better.
What appealed to you about Dayton?
I see Dayton starting a great renaissance in its downtown and VTA has a huge role to play in that process. When we looked at Dayton as a family, we felt very welcomed and we knew it would be a great place to call home.