What it does
Florida Cultural Group, Inc. and its venue, Manatee Performing Arts Center, are the cultural anchor and economic drivers in the Florida Gulf Coast region. We provide for all ages affordable, high-quality and thought-provoking entertainment, as well as performance and technical-based education. In addition, we equip the community with ample meeting, event, and production space. We are committed to being the community's premier theater and the region's center for cultural, education, and artistic expression. Our team works tirelessly to ensure that we deliver engaging excellence for all ages, through the talent we present, the services we offer and the experience we create. Our goal is not just to entertain you, we want to inspire you.
Not only did our production program produce 99 in-house performances for hundreds of volunteer actors to discover their passions in acting, theatre lighting, and technical design we also hosted 54 professionally produced performances which included concerts, musicals, local dance companies, and band tributes. Totally 153 opportunities for the community to come to the Center to enjoy live entertainment. The Center is proud to provide free and affordable high quality live entertainment to the areas of at-risk youth and their families through our For Kids By Kids Program. Our Action through Acting initiative allows the Center to present on 6 socially misunderstood issues, on stage, through live theatre. Through the program we proudly partner with non-profits whose missions are to support and provide aid, based on socially misunderstood issues.
The Center's Ballroom, gallery, and two theaters are utilized through our rental program for rehearsal space, nonprofit fundraisers, community meetings/forums, leadership and team building trainings, weddings, and more. In addition, costume and set pieces are also available for rent. We are the proud home to the Bradenton Kiwanis Club, who meet at the center for their weekly meetings.
The Center's Conservatory for the Performing and Technical Arts Program consists of year-round theatrical education opportunities for ages 8-90. Directed by our professional artists and directors; participants have the opportunity to build social and communication skills, improve self-esteem, and boost confidence through participation in live theatre. Musical camps are a minimum of 2 weeks and are available throughout the year. Through the program, participants learn how to audition to participate in rehearsals and are a part of a minimum of 4 full-staged performances. One of the primary goals of this program is build a community of young performances and provide a safe environment for children to develop teamwork skills and confidence in front of a live audience. Our tech/theatre management program is designed to offer students a pre-professional experience in technical design or theatre management. Our DraMature program consists of actors ages 55+ that perform in various styles of productions and provide numerous community outreach programs in a variety of venues.