Western Illinois University has chosen a Maryland woman to be the first director of its Center for Performing Arts.
Anne Lefter will begin the fulltime position on July 1. Her starting salary is $101,000. (Editor's note: $101,000 is the correct figure for Lefter's salary. An earlier version of this story contained an incorrect figure. TSPR regrets the error.)
Lefter is currently director of the arts at the Community College of Baltimore County. She has worked at that school since 2002, and has run its arts programs for the past three years.
Lefter’s responsibilities at WIU will include season planning, marketing, audience development, recruiting, budgeting, and the day-to-day operations of the CPA.
Construction of the building on the Macomb campus is about half completed.
The state is providing $119 million through Rebuild Illinois and the Illinois Capital Development Board to build the CPA, which will include an 869-seat Great Hall Proscenium Theatre.
The groundbreaking ceremonywas held in October, 2022.
WIU says operational funding will require significant philanthropic support.
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