Mad Cow Theatre receives $250,000 grant

ORLANDO, Fla. — Mad Cow Theatre is pleased to announce the award of a $250,000 grant as part of the Orange County Arts and Cultural Affairs Cultural Facilities program, to be used for the equipping of our new facility at 54 West Church Street.  This grant is matched with $250,000 in gifts from many donors across Central Florida.

This second phase of a 2-phase project will complete equipping of Mad Cow Theatre's new space, opened in October 2012 at 54 West Church Street, in the heart of the Church Street District in Downtown Orlando.

In addition to theatrical equipment, lighting and sound systems, the theatre will install a Telecoil loop for patrons who have difficulty hearing, outdoor signage on the Church Street Plaza and energy efficiency and sustainability improvements.

"We are absolutely thrilled," said Mitzi Maxwell, Mad Cow Theatre's Executive Director, "at the continued committment to Arts and Culture from Orange County. This funding enables us to present more cultural experiences befitting a world-class community to both local and visiting patrons. Our new Church Street home is a venue that Orange County citizens can be proud of."

Since opening in October, Mad Cow has hosted over 10,000 cultural experiences with another 2,000-3,000 anticipated through the close of the season. With an estimated economic impact of $1.2 million each year in direct and event-related spending, Mad Cow and its patrons support an estimated 35.2 FTE jobs in Central Florida.  Increased capacity in the new facility will foster a greater artistic and economic impact on the community.

The grant is part of a larger project, which is ongoing and has raised over $2.2 million in cash and cash pledges, including $329,000 in in-kind professional services from L2 Studios and Holland & Knight.

This new theatre has become a symbol of the community’s investment in Mad Cow Theatre’s mission. It says that the conversations initiated in our county and the significant art that is being created here are meaningful to the citizens. It also says that the community values Orlando artists who create unique work that inspires and these artists need to be kept gainfully employed in Central Florida.

The new theatre complex includes facilities to provide Central Floridians and visitors to our region with nationally recognized theatre experiences that ignite the imagination, lift the spirit and engage our community. There’s nothing like it in Central Florida.

WFTV