Empress Theatre umbrella drops ‘foundation’
Newly-minted 'Vallejo Center for the Arts'
The nonprofit “Vallejo Community Arts Foundation” is about to get the deep-freeze, with the Empress Theatre under the newlynamed umbrella, “Vallejo Center for the Arts.”
Seems the word “foundation” gave the illusion — and during COVID-19, that’s what it is — that the VCAF had money to hand-out to other cashstrapped organizations.
“I get calls from people asking how they can apply for a grant. I would say, ‘Can you tell me where I can apply for a grant?’ We’re all in the same boat. We personally don’t have money to give to other nonprofits,” said Renay Conlin, the soon-to-be “VCA” executive director.
Conlin said it should be around April 1 when the VCAF becomes the VCA and it will be unveiled publicly.
“I think the name change is a good move for us,” Conlin said by phone Friday. “It reflects more of who we are.”
During the pandemic, the 109-year-old venue has mostly been dark, outside of a handful of live-streamed shows with an upcoming March 20 appearance by Kyle Martin doing his best Billy Joel/Elton John show.
The name change was created around nine months ago at a strategic planning retreat by the VCAF 13-member board of directors, Conlin said.
“Everyone was in complete agreement” that Vallejo Center for the Arts was more appealing.
It’s now all about graduating to a “red tier” in the county so the Empress can open its doors to a real audience of paying customers.
“We’re moving forward to do more events and hopefully re-opening at some point,” Conlin said. “At the appropriate time, we’ll get the ball rolling.”
The toughest part of the pandemic hasn’t been contemplating a name-change for the umbrella nonprofit, obviously.
“The same as it has been for any venue — lack of revenue, lack of ticket sales,” Conlin said. “Also, the fact we couldn’t open the (adjoining venue to the Empress) lounge (and its bar) that helps our bottom line.”
While “many venues will not come back, we’ve been pretty lucky” merely keeping the marquee on, Conlin said, grateful several grants she’s written have paid off.
“Right now, we’re working with a number of booking agents and will start more aggressively booking shows; maybe by the summer when we hope to have people in the theater,” Conlin said.
“We certainly want to have local bands, but we also certainly want to have more with name recognition,” Conlin said. “We have this beautiful theater that I think is one of the best if not the best small theater in California. We have to make sure we have the right performers.”
Conlin added that one benefit of the pandemic: Entertainer representatives are more inclined to be flexible with fees and deposits.
“They know that we’re struggling just as they are,” Conlin said.
One other COVID-related change: The Vallejo Center for the Arts will continue to host the summer youth arts camp, but this year it will be outdoors following this past summer’s cancellation, Conlin said.
“We don’t want to miss another year of having the arts camp,” she said.
Conlin added that there’s hope the “Save Our Stages” bill included in the president’s COVID-19 support package will come to fruition, providing struggling venues a financial life preserver.
“Obviously, we’re going to apply for funding,” Conlin said, believing the guidelines are similar to the government’s Payroll Protection Program (PPE) requirements.
“If you spend it on allowable expenses, you don’t have to pay it back, which is good,” Conlin said.
Changes are also underway internally at the Empress Theatre, said the executive director, with manager David Constantino resigning and the part-time box office employee relocating.