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NATIONAL LEVITT PAVILIONS CHOOSES STEELSTACKS™ FOR ITS 6TH MUSIC VENUE
DATE: January 10, 2011
CONTACT:
Mark Demko, ArtsQuest, 610-332-1300, ext. 342, or mdemko@artsquest.org
CONTACT: Mark Demko, ArtsQuest, 610-332-1300, ext. 342, or mdemko@artsquest.org
NATIONAL LEVITT PAVILIONS CHOOSES STEELSTACKS™ FOR ITS 6TH MUSIC VENUE Friends of Levitt Pavilion SteelStacks presenting 30 free shows in 2011 and 50 annually starting in 2012
BETHLEHEM, PA--Great. Free. Music….all summer long!
Summers at the SteelStacks™ arts and cultural campus in Bethlehem, Pa. will be filled with the sounds of free, live music starting in 2011 thanks to the development of the nation's newest Levitt Pavilion, the Levitt Pavilion SteelStacks.
Levitt Pavilion SteelStacks, which is made possible through the support of the Mortimer Levitt Foundation and the national Levitt Pavilions organization, will be the sixth Levitt Pavilion in the country, joining a network of outdoor venues that already offers more than 250 free concerts in four states each summer. The pavilion, located on First Street directly in front of the former Bethlehem Steel blast furnaces, will host its first show July 2 and feature 30 free concerts during its inaugural series in 2011. Programming and management of the pavilion will be done by Friends of Levitt Pavilion SteelStacks, the new nonprofit responsible for operating the venue; the series lineup for 2011 will be announced in spring.
"Levitt Pavilions is thrilled to collaborate with the Friends of the Levitt Pavilion SteelStacks and the city of Bethlehem," said Liz Levitt Hirsch, Board President of Levitt Pavilions and Vice President of the Mortimer Levitt Foundation. "The leadership, site and vision for SteelStacks are extraordinary. A Levitt Pavilion in the heart of SteelStacks in front of the furnaces creates uncanny alchemy for community through music."
At Levitt Pavilion SteelStacks, concert-goers will be able to bring their blankets or chairs and relax under the stars on the lawn as they enjoy a wide variety of local, regional and national performing artists. Blues, rock, Latin, world and country music are just some of the genres that will be showcased at the venue, which has a capacity of 2,500 people.
"For decades, the sounds that came from Bethlehem Steel were the sounds of prosperity for Bethlehem and the Lehigh Valley. After 15 years of silence, this abandoned industrial site is once again coming alive with a variety of sounds - the sounds of music - symbolizing a new type of prosperity for the community," said Jim Creedon, President of the Friends of Levitt Pavilion SteelStacks Board of Directors. "With its diverse array of musical programming, Levitt Pavilion SteelStacks will serve as a catalyst for bringing the community together, attracting tourists to Bethlehem and helping to continue the amazing transformation of this former steel plant."
Levitt Pavilion SteelStacks was designed by Wallace Roberts & Todd, LLC, led by architect Antonio Fiol-Silva and landscape architect Ignacio F. Bunster-Ossa. The venue, which is being constructed by Boyle Construction Management of Bethlehem, will include a 47-foot-wide by 32-foot-deep performance stage, as well as a 36-foot-high metal canopy covering the stage. For the 2011 performance season, a temporary canopy will be erected over the stage; the permanent metal canopy will be installed prior to the 2012 season. While approximately 30 shows are planned for the 2011 series, the pavilion will host more than 50 free concerts annually starting in 2012, with performances taking place May through August.
"We are truly honored that the Mortimer Levitt Foundation and the national Levitt Pavilions have chosen Bethlehem and the SteelStacks campus for the site of their newest outdoor music pavilion," said Bethlehem Mayor John Callahan. "The Levitt pavilions that have been established in other cities across the nation have had a major impact in their communities, and we expect thousands of people annually will make their way to SteelStacks to enjoy the concerts that will take place at our Levitt Pavilion when it opens later this year. On behalf of the City of Bethlehem and all of its residents, I want to thank the Levitt organization for their support of our city and this innovative revitalization project."
Levitt pavilions are developed through private/public partnerships in collaboration with the host cities through support from public officials, business and community leaders and people from throughout the community. Typically located in public parks, each Levitt Pavilion is a city-owned facility that is managed and programmed by a local Friends of Levitt Pavilion nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization. Through this innovative private/public structure, resources are leveraged to revitalize public spaces and provide high quality arts programming that's accessible to all.
In addition to Levitt Pavilion SteelStacks, the Levitt network includes outdoor venues in Memorial Park, Pasadena, Calif.; Los Angeles' McArthur Park; Overton Park in Memphis; Founders Plaza in Arlington, Texas; and the original Levitt Pavilion in Westport, Conn. Each venue presents the Levitt program of 50 or more professional concerts annually, with free admission to the public. Programming is designed to appeal to all tastes, bringing people from all ages and backgrounds together to share an evening of great music and a true feeling of community.