Dayton Live owns and operates the Schuster Center, Victoria Theatre, Metropolitan Arts Center (home to the Loft Theatre), and the Arts Garage. It also manages the PNC Arts Annex.
“We’ve come so far since the pandemic and it really speaks to our community support, such as attendees subscribing and providing feedback on our surveys, how we’ve improved financially and our community engagement,” said Sarah Robertson, vice president of operations for Dayton Live. “We’re continuing to strive for excellence. I don’t want this award to (imply) that we don’t have to continue to get better. We want to continue to push. We don’t want to become complacent. This award is a great stepping stone for what we can do in the future.”
Robertson is particularly proud of the safety and security procedures Dayton Live have implemented such as bag checks upon arrival, which is not standard practice across all performing arts venues.
“Prior to the pandemic we didn’t have any bag checks or wands,” she said. “People are used to going to a stadium or arena and walking through a security system or getting a bag checked but performing arts centers are a little bit behind the times.”
In the future she hopes the organization will be able to offer experiences curated to suit individual needs.
“I’m a person that likes to talk to people at a show such as ushers or bartenders but I might have a friend with me who would rather not speak to anyone and figure out her own seating arrangement or drink order. Both of us should be able to have the experience we want when we walk in the door,” Robertson explained. “I think Dayton Live is getting closer to that. And recognizing the work we’ve done in the past three or four years really brought us closer to that goal such as giving patrons the option to have their tickets printed out or on their phone. We also have new wayfinding signage that tells you where you can find your seat or you can talk to an usher. You can also pre-order a beverage for intermission so you don’t have to wait in line at intermission. We want to give patrons options when they’re here rather than having a set process for every person which may not give them what they’re looking for.”
This year’s Venue Excellence Award recipients include the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, Charlotte Convention Center in Charlotte, Exhibition Place/Enercare Centre/Beanfield Center in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, and Target Field in Minneapolis. Past recipients include Schottenstein Center/Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Music City Center in Nashville and EverBank Stadium in Jacksonville.
Three Dayton Live team members accepted the award during a conference presentation in July in Portland, Ore.
“To be considered on the same level of operating in Dayton, Ohio as the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York, feels like we have taken the next step and we can continue to be recognized by our colleagues and peers,” Robertson said.
In related news Dayton Live’s “Spotlight on the Future “capital campaign entered its public phase Sept. 12 with a fundraising goal of $25 million. The campaign, which quietly launched in fall 2023, raised $10.2 million prior to the public launch with the primary focus of updating the organization’s facilities.
Dayton Live independently owns its venues and is solely responsible for preserving and maintaining the properties, which encompass 700,000 square feet of downtown property. Organizers said the operating revenue has been able to cover only minimal maintenance costs. The campaign is expected to last five years. More details are online at daytonlive.org/support/capital-campaign.
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