News from Britt Hill – June 2024
FOR THE LAST 18 MONTHS, Britt’s board and staff have been working behind the scenes on our new strategic plan, outlining all our big dreams for the next five years. After 8 months of drafts and revisions, the plan was unanimously approved last month, and we’re thrilled to start bringing these dreams to life! Many of you have been involved in conversations around dreams and projects, and perhaps the loudest and most universal call to action I’ve heard in this community is this:
Britt’s administrative and box offices need to move to Jacksonville.
I know this conversation has been happening for decades, with many of you making the strong case for our office relocation. It’s one of the most recurrent conversations I’ve had since I arrived in Southern Oregon two years ago, and for great reason. As one of the key players in the health of Jacksonville’s economy, Britt needs to be present in the community year-round so we can understand the challenges and opportunities of daily life and business in the community we most directly impact.
As you’ve probably heard by now, Britt approached Jackson County in November 2023 to discuss acquiring the US Hotel building at 125 E. California Street. We toured the building with the wonderful folks at United Strategies and Consulting in early December, and our dreams took flight. We imagine a ground floor administrative and box office. Upstairs, we plan to retain the ballroom for use as a gathering and education space. We’ll host workshops, community partner events like author talks, after school programs, dance classes, chamber music performances, and more.
By building year-round activities in the downtown core, we aim to drive visitors to our fabulous restaurants, wineries, bars, and retailers. For our fourteen year-round staff, the opportunity to spend our days in Jacksonville would be a dream come true, walking to coffee shops for meetings, grabbing lunch downtown, and heading over to the venue for a quick break in nature. We also recognize the challenges of the space and its needs. We’ll be fundraising to complete necessary renovations: seismic retrofitting, ADA accessibility upgrades, updating the interior while honoring and preserving the history of the building, and making it a welcoming community hub for all.
As of the writing of this column, we’ve submitted our formal offer to Jackson County for their perusal. By the time you’re reading it, we will know so much more than I do today, and I’m curious to see where we land. I’m so grateful to everyone in our community who has reached out with your positive messaging and letters of support. If we pull this off, it is absolutely thanks to the entire community. Ultimately, this is your Britt Music & Arts Festival, and never has that been clearer than it is right now. Regardless of the outcome, we have a lot to be proud of together, and I’m grateful to serve this community with you. I can’t wait to see what we do next!
All best, Abby