Playhouse Campus Expansion Capital Drive


The Huntington Playhouse was established in 1958 and sits on the site of John Huntington’s carriage house. It started as a small summer theater and grew into a place with a 240-seat auditorium. The Playhouse had its last season in 2015. In the summer of 2017 BAYarts began working to clean out the venue. The goal of BAYarts is to renovate the former Playhouse, so it can be used on the Arts campus for classrooms and events.
What We Do
Art Education
Classes for all ages. 6,600 students per year in 350 classes, including outreach
Arist Income & Support
Three galleries, art festival, consignment, seasonal market employment, studio space
Community Engagement
Festivals, live music and performance, art, market, public gardens and social space, 80,000 visitors per year at 200 events.



Naming Rights & Donating
To achieve the vision of transforming the former Huntington Playhouse into the new Center for Arts & Culture, we are asking our closest friends to support this project, especially those who were pivotal in the 2005 renovation of BAYarts. Nearly 70 years since its inception, we have the opportunity now to complete the transformation of the BAYarts campus, bringing its fullest potential to the community.
Naming Rights Opportunities
Naming Rights* | Amount | Amount Donated | Named Space |
---|---|---|---|
Building | $500,000 | ||
Stage | $100,000 | $100,000 | John Carney Family |
Flex/Event Space | $75,000 | ||
Hearth Room | $75,000 | ||
Large Classroom | $50,000 | ||
Hallway Gallery | $37,500 | ||
Outdoor Patio | $25,000 | $25,000 | VLX Travel Garden |
Music Rooms | $20,000 | $20,000 | Carleen Herring Bonds Music Rooms |
Director's Circle | |||
Diamond | $20,000 | $50,000 | N/A |
Platinum | $10,000 | N/A | |
Gold | $5,000 | N/A |
*Subject to time limits and conditions of written agreement to be approved. Additional opportunities may be available.
Updates
Dec 17th, 2019
Warm-up at BAYarts this Winter – Westlake/Bay Village Observer
March 5th, 2019
Devon Gess and Father fund Music Rooms at BAYarts – Westlake/Bay Village Observer
Jan 8th, 2019
The first class in the Playhouse Hearth Room is Spirit Dolls with Janet Wade. Classroom now open and used for ongoing classes.
Dec 19th, 2018
BAYarts’ Future: Why it will take a village – Westlake/Bay Village Observer
Dec 1st, 2018
Phase One is near completion in one month. – Facebook update
Nov 2018
Patricia Heaton (Everybody Loves Raymond, The Middle) has been named the Playhouse Campaign Honorary Chair
Aug 21st, 2018
Noted Cleveland architect to design BAYarts expansion in Bay Village – Sun News
Aug 13t, 2018h
Naming rights will help transform BAYarts’ expansion of the old Huntington Playhouse – Sun News
July 28th, 2018
Phase I begins.
May 2018
BAYarts updates community on former Playhouse – Westlake-Bay Village Observer
May 2018
BAYarts hosts a Playhouse progress meeting, open to the community.
April 2018
Encore! event fundraiser
March 2018
BAYarts granted $100k for Playhouse from state budget – Westlake-Bay Village Observer
February 2018
Patricia Heaton and David Hunt donate $50,000 as seed money. Read about that here.
January 2018
Bay Men’s Club helps the final clean-up of materials, taken to Savers.
November 2017
Donations made to City Mission.
August 2017
Playhouse Liquidation Sale
August 2017
Press: BAYarts Takes on the Playhouse – Westlake-Bay Village Observer
July 17, 2017
Clean-up begins on interior prop pieces.