• Events
  • WWU Events Calendar
  • Submit a calendar item
  • Events Calendar guidelines
  • Events Calendar submission style guide
• Get involved
  • Brand Central
  • Social media at Western
  • Western Today
  • Viking Village
• Media
  • Brand Central
  • News Releases
  • Social media at Western
  • Photo Center
  • Institutional Profile
  • Faculty research database
• Emergency
  • WWU Emergency Information Website
  • Receive Western Alerts
  • Weather information
• Publications
  • Annual Report
  • Window Magazine
  • Soundings
  • Western Today (website)
  • Western Today (e-mails)
  • Gaia, WWU's research magazine
  • President's Report
  • Western Weekly
• Speakers
  • Guide to Speakers
  • List of Speakers
  • List of Topics
  • Request a Speaker
• Contact
  • View contact info
  • Submission/Request Forms
  • Ask a question
• Search
• Subscribe
  • Subscribe to Western Today
  • Subscribe to Western Weekly
  • Subscribe to Soundings

Contact: Courtney Hiatt, Manager of CFPA Media and PAC Series, (360) 650-2829 or courtney.hiatt@wwu

BELLINGHAM - Western Washington University’s College of Fine and Performing Arts (CFPA) has suspended its Performing Arts Center (PAC) Series after careful consideration of how to continue best serving the WWU and Bellingham communities while undergoing significant budget cuts. 

“We are all too aware of the tough economic times we are in. The arts face cuts even in the best of times and as a result we will no longer be offering our PAC Series. It was a tough decision but our core mission of educating the future artists of tomorrow had to be the first priority,” said Daniel Guyette, dean of CFPA.  “We hope some day to restore this important aspect of our community engagement. In the meantime I am forming a Dean’s Community Advisory Board, which will work with me to help fund our initiatives while increasing our presence in the community as an arts advocate and leader.”

The PAC Series has brought professional performing artists to the Bellingham community for 22 years.  In addition to evening performances, its artists have been featured performers of the CFPA Education Matinee Series, which debuted in 2005.

Courtney Hiatt, PAC Series manager, said that as the CFPA looks to the future, education and community outreach will remain a priority. 

“It is part of our academic mission to provide world-class performances and multicultural experiences for both our students and our community,” said Hiatt.  “I am confident that we will be able to create future programming that is engaging and inspiring, yet affordable for both our patrons and the college.  Now is a great time to reassess our offerings and better fit the needs of our community.”

By suspending the series, the college will ensure the continuation and growth of its education-outreach programs which provide free and low-cost arts opportunities to nearly 20,000 students in Whatcom and Skagit counties each year.  The programs serve K-12 students in public schools, private schools, and homeschool families. 

“We are very pleased that even during times of economic hardship we are able to provide arts-education outreach that challenges and inspires students in our community. With the arts facing cuts at all levels the need for programs such as these are greater than ever and we have been seeing a record demand for our offerings,” said Hiatt.

To learn more about the academic performances, guest speakers, and education outreach offered by the College of Fine and Performing Arts, please visit www.wwu.edu/cfpa.  

printer friendly