Venice residents, we have something to celebrate! Our beloved Venice Theatre just received fantastic news that will help bring our community’s cultural heart back to life.

The Funding Survived!

You know how nerve-wracking it can be waiting to see if state funding will make it through the governor’s budget review. Well, we can all breathe a sigh of relief – the $350,000 that our Florida Legislature approved for Venice Theatre’s rebuilding efforts made it through Gov. DeSantis’ budget review without a veto. That’s a huge win for our arts community!

The Numbers Are Adding Up

Here’s where things get really exciting. Between the state funding, Venice’s own $125,000 matching grant, and an incredibly generous $2 million anonymous donation from someone who clearly loves our theater as much as we do, Venice Theatre has now raised $20 million toward their $25 million Next Act campaign goal. We’re so close to the finish line!

As Executive Director Kristofer Geddie put it perfectly: “This incredible support reminds us that the arts truly belong to everyone. From elected leaders to students with piggy banks, our entire community came together to make this happen.”

Isn’t that what makes Venice so special? When something matters to our community, we all pitch in – whether it’s our city leaders, state representatives, or kids breaking open their piggy banks to help.

Construction Update: We’re Ahead of Schedule!

At Monday night’s annual meeting, Geddie shared some exciting construction updates. The project is actually running a couple of weeks ahead of schedule, and they’re starting to see walls go up. “When I see cinderblocks, it makes me so happy,” he said – and honestly, we can all relate to that feeling of seeing real progress after such a devastating setback.

The timeline looks promising: they’re hoping to have the theater space fully enclosed by September, with plans to open Season 77 in the completely renovated space. (For those keeping track, we’re about to enter Season 76!)

A New Name for a New Era

The main theater space will now be called the Jervey Theatre, honoring major donor Bill Jervey. It’s a fitting tribute to someone who stepped up in a big way when our community needed it most.

Looking Forward

Hurricane Ian dealt our theater a devastating blow, but watching this community rally around Venice Theatre has been nothing short of inspiring. We’re not just rebuilding a building – we’re creating a space that truly represents the heart and soul of Venice.

As Geddie said, “We look forward to welcoming everyone back into a space built by and for the people of Venice, and we’re not slowing down now.”

Neither are we, Venice Theatre. Neither are we.

Have you been following the Venice Theatre rebuilding efforts? What are you most excited about for the new space? Let us know in the comments below!