ST. LOUIS — Stifel Theatre is among more than three dozen performing arts venues nationwide included in a new “alliance” launched to help the facilities lure new events and sponsorship dollars.
The 3,100-seat Stifel Theatre, located adjacent to the Enterprise Center downtown, is one of 39 theaters and performing arts venues to be included in the newly created Theater Alliance. Venue development, advisory and investment firm Oak View Group is spearheading the new alliance, saying it aims to give the venues “collecting booking and buying power.”
The Theater Alliance, led by Noël Mirhadi, seeks to give its members access to new events and sponsorship opportunities along with the ability to share best practices. In a new release, the Theater Alliance said it “will help drive unique, exclusive, and traditionally mainstream content to its member venues.” It said that could include events such as acoustic performances from notable performers. Additionally, the 39 venues will split proceeds from an annual gala fundraiser. Oak View Group said the concept of the new Theater Alliance stems from a similar initiative it has for 38 arenas and stadiums.
“The demand for the Theater Alliance was certainly amplified coming out of the pandemic,” said Oak View Group Vice President Joe Giordano. “Performing arts venues across the nation, which are traditionally costly to operate, all face similar challenges. The Alliance, under Noël’s outstanding leadership, is eager to continue building the network of top venues in first tier markets to help them meet and exceed their programming and budgetary goals, and bring opportunities to the table that they didn’t even know were possible.”
Theater Alliance's member venues are located in markets ranging from big cities like New York and Chicago to the smaller cities of Tulsa, Oklahoma, and Spokane, Washington. Among the members are well-known venues, including Radio City Music Hall in New York and Ryan Auditorium and Grand Ole Opry in Nashville.
“We are thrilled that the iconic Stifel Theatre is a founding member of the OVG Theater Alliance,” said Todd Mitchell, vice president and general manager of Stifel Theatre. “We look forward to the innovation and collaboration that will come from working with so many incredible performing arts venues across the country and furthering the diverse array of programming that the restored Stifel Theatre has brought to St. Louis audiences since reopening over a decade ago.”
Read more of the story on the St. Louis Business Journal's website.
