SURPRISE, AZ — A new partnership between the City of Surprise and Dysart Unified School District is bringing changes to one of the West Valley’s premier performing arts venues, with millions of dollars in improvements planned and new opportunities for students to work alongside professional performers.
The city and school district are now partnering to manage and operate The Vista Center for the Arts, a role previously handled by the district alone.
“This is something that we would’ve never been able to do as a district on our own,” said Danae Marinelli, Dysart Unified School District’s director of arts.
One of the first priorities is improving the facility itself.
“One of the biggest first projects that we are doing is upgrade to the lighting system at the Vista Center for the Arts,” said Julie Akerly, Surprise’s arts and culture manager.
The city has already invested about $500,000 in facility improvements, with upgrades expected to total $2.5 million over the next five years.
The partnership also means professional performances will continue coming to the West Valley. This season’s lineup includes bands, magicians and other acts, giving residents an opportunity to see performances closer to home.
“That was one of the big benefits that the community wanted,” Marinelli said. “If they want to come see a show, it’s right in their neighborhood.”
For Dysart students, the partnership also provides educational opportunities beyond simply watching a performance.
Some visiting artists are offering workshops where students can learn directly from industry professionals.
“A lot of these people that they’re bringing in are offering up student workshops for our students to then get hands-on experience with these groups that they’re bringing in,” said Preston MacDonald, choir director at Valley Vista High School.
For students considering careers in music, theater or other areas of the arts, those interactions can provide a closer look at what working in the industry is actually like.
“I’m just so excited to get a little bit of insight into the industry,” said Valley Vista High School senior Leah Hill. “I know my peers and I are really interested in careers in the arts.”
The partnership comes as Surprise and the surrounding West Valley continue to grow, increasing demand for cultural and entertainment opportunities closer to where residents live.
For educators, the investment is also about ensuring students continue to have a space where they can perform, learn and connect with others.
“If you’re bringing students together and giving them a place where they belong and bringing communities together, then that’s what we’re about,” MacDonald said.
With $2.5 million in improvements planned over five years and professional performers sharing the facility with local students, city and school officials hope The Vista Center for the Arts can serve both purposes: a community destination for the performing arts and an educational resource for the next generation of West Valley artists.
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