Art community members voice concerns over auditorium use

Two members of the Brainerd arts community expressed their concerns to the Brainerd School Board over whether the district grants a church exclusive rights to use the Franklin Arts Center auditorium on Saturdays.

Ed Yunker, a director of the Geritol Frolics, and John Erickson, a Brainerd attorney who leases space for his gallery at Franklin Arts Center, addressed the school board Monday night.

Yunker said he learned from Todd Lyscio, Brainerd Community Education director, that the Journey North Community Church, which is based at the arts center, is asking to exclusively use the auditorium on Saturdays throughout the rest of the year.

Yunker said there isn't a waiting list for arts programming to use the auditorium but said it would be a shame for the community to lose the use of the auditorium altogether on Saturdays.

"The concept was to have an arts center," Yunker said of Franklin. "There are a lot of us that would really like to see a really nice performing arts center. We don't have that and I don't know if I'll see that in my lifetime. The Franklin Arts Center, at least to some extent, serves that purpose. ... I would implore you to not allow that space to be commandeered. I would say it would be wrong for the community or organizations to lose the ability to use that space."

Yunker said Geritol Frolics has spent $17,000 repainting, reupholstering the seats and replacing carpeting in the auditorium.

"We knew the church holding three services every Sunday would get the longer-lasting comfort out of that but we felt it gave us an opportunity to give back," Yunker said of the auditorium renovation. "We thought by doing so it might make that space more attractive to other organizations, and if that space is not available we'll never know."

Erickson told the board that Saturday nights are critical for artistic performances and greater community participation.

"There's a potential chilling effect for creative expression if there's not a clear, neutral source of decision-making for use of that community asset," Erickson said. "I would ask you to administer as a community asset the auditorium in the Franklin Arts Center."

The issue was placed on the agenda for the noon Jan. 21 school board facilities committee meeting.

In board action, the board approved the district's pay equity report. Steve Lund, director of business services, said the district is in compliance.

The board hired Alissa Langan, Early Childhood Special Education teacher, and Shelly Kennedy, a Forestview fifth-grade multi-media instructor. The board accepted the resignation of Lynn Hanson, Baxter special education teacher, and the retirement of Patricia Wright, Early Childhood coordinator for the Paul Bunyan Cooperative.

JODIE TWEED may be reached at jodie.tweed@brainerddispatch.com or 855-5858.