Tecumseh Center for the Arts (TCA) is partnering with F & S Landscape Inc. of Tecumseh on several projects this season. The company has been an annual business sponsor and donor for many years as well as currently providing snow removal services during the winter months. In August, F & S Landscape Inc. updated the large flower beds located in front of the theater marquee. The previous landscape had been designed and installed by local high school students’ many years before. Over time, the mulch and original flowers had deteriorated, become overgrown with weeds and needed replacement.

“We greatly appreciate the support in updating our flower beds,” stated TCA Director Kelly Jo Gilmore. “They turned out beautifully and will be a wonderful welcome to patrons when they arrive at the theater. We are thrilled to partner with F & S Landscape inc. for our landscaping needs at the theater.”

The current pandemic and closure of concert venues like Tecumseh Center for the Arts has allowed the theater to move forward with several outdoor projects including the landscaping and the new TCA Street Art Trail.

“The TCA Street Art Trail is Phase 1 of our new Art | Music | Sculpture Park,” commented Gilmore. “The next phase will focus on the Sculpture Garden surrounding the new Street Art Trail. We will be partnering with F & S Landscape, Inc. to develop a master plan for the gardens and community inspired sculptures.”

The garden will be located on the north side of the property and will surround the pole barn. The theater will be seeking sculpture submissions over the next few months with the goal to plant the garden and install the sculptures during the spring of 2021.

“It is a great opportunity to partner with Tecumseh Center for the Arts,” stated Craig Fulton, owner of F & S Landscape Inc. “The theater plays an important role in our community through its shows and now through its outdoor space as well. As a local business, we are proud to support the theater and its programs. “

Community members and visitors can enjoy the TCA Street Art Trail and view the new flower beds by visiting Tecumseh Center for the Arts located at 400 North Maumee Street in Tecumseh, Michigan. 

The 39th season was unlike any other in the theater's history. The first six months saw record numbers of season ticket holders, individual ticket sales, an increase in renters, donations and business sponsorships. In fact, the theater was on track to have one of its best years in decades. Then the world as we know it completely changed overnight due to the novel coronavirus pandemic. The months of March through June tend to be Tecumseh Center for the Art's busy season. In fact, nearly half of all TCA shows take place during those specific months each season. When the pandemic forced theaters to close across the State of Michigan in mid-March, the theater was looking at $60-80,000 in lost revenue by the end of the fiscal year (June 2020). It was at that time, staff made the difficult decisions to eliminate as many expenses as possible while implementing additional revenue streams during the shut down. From laying off employees to refunding tickets, canceling contracts to announcing the "Together We Can" Donation Campaign; the community and the theater's endowment rallied, allowing the theater to balance its budget for the 2019-2020 season. 

"The end of our 39th season was incredibly challenging," Stated TCA Director Kelly Jo Gilmore. "The theater takes great pride in balancing the budget each year and then all of a sudden we were looking at a rather significant decrease in revenue. It was then that the community came together and reminded us we are all in this together."

Below are some highlights from the TCA's 39th Season Statistics Report:

• The Tecumseh Center for the Arts 2019-2020 Season planned to include 79 events. Due to the novel coronovirus pandemic and shutdowns, 38 of these events (48.1% of all events) were cancelled and/or postponed. The actual number of events in the 2019-2020 Season was 41. 
• Patrons from 21 Michigan counties purchased tickets, merchandise, or donated to the theater during the 2019-2020 Season. Patrons from 18 U.S. states purchased tickets, merchandise, or donated to the theater during 2019-2020. 
• During the 2019-20 Season, the TCA had 40,656 engagements and 967,684 impressions on social media. This was a 284.53% and 196.76% increase, respectively. 
• The National Touring Season cost $19,818.00 and ticket sales were $46,831.00, with a profit of $27,013.00, even with the final performance by Phase 5 being postponed. This was an increase in profit by 58.01% from the previous National Touring Season.
• The number of season ticket holders during the 2019-20 season was 177, which was an increase of 27.34% from the 2018-19 Season.
• During the 2019-20 Season, 61.31% of ticket sales were conducted online, while 38.59% of ticket sales were conducted through the Box Office. Sales are predicted to be placed almost entirely online by either the 2022-23 or 2023-24 Season.
• Individual donations increased by 217.5% for the 2019-2020 season. Tecumseh Center for the Arts had budgeted $14,000 in donations and received $30,415. The TCA community donated $21,942 in just 15 days during the "Together We Can" Donation Campaign during April 15 - April 30, 2020.
• Tecumseh Center for the Arts ended the 2019-2020 fiscal year with a total of $386,675 in revenue and $382,743 in expenses for a ending balance of $3,932. The profit will be carried over to the 2020-2021 fiscal year to help offset expenses due to the ongoing shut down for concert venues. 

 To read the complete 2019-2020 Statistics Report, please click on the link below.