An effort is underway to rename the MHS/Community Auditorium to the Marshalltown Performing Arts Center, as well as maintaining its status as a world-class venue.

Bill Fitzgerald, project manager and former member of the MHS/Community Foundation, said good things are in the works for the auditorium.

“Rebranding the venue better reflects its quality,” Fitzgerald said. “It better reflects what it is and will help draw attention to it.”

The Foundation is also proceeding with a public art project to be located near the entrance of the building. The artwork will highlight and show community support for the performing arts, like what “Drills” has done for Bobcat athletics at the Roundhouse. The Foundation has enlisted the help of Marshall County Arts & Culture Alliance to manage the project once enough funds have been collected to kick off artist selection.

Fitzgerald said there is no set theme for the art, that they prefer to give artists a broad brush. The tentative timeline is to have a piece in place before the end of 2021. So far, the Foundation has $25,000 from estate gifts, a $7,500 challenge grant from the Martha-Ellen Tye Foundation and $3,500 in pledged donations.

The Foundation recently sent out the annual solicitation letter to various businesses, asking for funds to go toward the art project and for improving the venue.

“We are beginning to see a need for large capital improvements,” he said. “We have had good support and we have a long-term capital plan in place. We want people to know we are not just soliciting funds and sitting on them. We are reinvesting in the auditorium to make sure it stays world-class.”

Some of the improvements underway include replacing the carpet, which has not been done in 35 years. Phase One of replacing the carpet in the facility has been completed and the Foundation hopes to begin Phase Two soon. In the lobby, on the stairs and the upper level of the auditorium, the mauve carpet has been replaced with brand new blue and patterned carpet.

Alan Paxson, the manager of the auditorium, said they hope to have all of the carpeting replaced within five years. Since there is 17,000 square feet, it will not be a quick job.

“It will have to be done in stages,” Paxson said. “It will stand up to high volumes of traffic.”

The Foundation also placed a plaque honoring Marshalltown Community School District students who have excelled in arts during the last 30 years.

“It shows we love celebrating arts as much as athletics,” Fitzgerald said.

One popular performing art series which was mostly missing in 2020 is Live On Stage. Fitzgerald said normally, there are three performances in the fall and three in the spring. Ones which were scheduled after the pandemic began were rolled into the spring 2021 time frame. However, the Marshalltown Community School District will decide when the auditorium can be in use for large group events. Right now, Paxson said vocal and music classes are held in the space because it allows for enough social distancing between students.

Fitzgerald said district officials will make the call when it is safe to resume performances and to highlight this important aspect of Marshalltown.

Two of the best world-class features of the auditorium, according to Fitzgerald, is the quality of visual and audio.

“You can go to the civic center in Des Moines, sit in the back and you will not be able to see or hear as well as you can here. We have the best for sight and acoustics,” he said. “The auditorium is a hidden jewel. We want to make sure people know this is the best venue in the state.

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Contact Lana Bradstream at

lbradstream@timesrepublican.com.