Ordway, arts groups form new partnership

by Marianne Combs, Minnesota Public Radio

The Ordway Center for the Performing Arts, along with the Minnesota Opera, the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra and the Schubert Club have announced a new arts partnership.

St. Paul, Minn. — The new arts partnership is a distinct nonprofit that represents the interests of the four organizations in regards to using the Ordway building.

The partnership is built on a master agreement created over two and a half years of negotiations. For the Minnesota Opera, the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra and the Schubert Club, this agreement provides a long-term calendar they can use to book highly sought performers.

Bruce Coppock, president and managing director of the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra, says that's an important point.

"We sought in these discussions for the last two and a half years three fundamental ideas -- predictability, access and affordability," Coppock said, "that in order to run an arts organization effectively and provide the highest quality performances on stage, we need to know our future a long time in advance, and that's what this agreement provides for us."

In return, the three music organizations commit to helping the Ordway with maintenance issues and fundraising for the building.

The position of president of the arts partnership will rotate among the heads of the member organizations, starting with Kevin Smith, president and CEO of the Minnesota Opera.