MIFA Victory Theatre announces a $1 million grant from community philanthropists!
Long-time MIFA supporters John and Elizabeth Armstrong recently pledged a
$1 Million Dollar Gift to the Victory Theatre Project!
"The generosity the Armstrongs have shown MIFA Victory Theatre is beyond words. They bestow such uplifting support for the arts in our community, and MIFA is lucky to call them friends."
-Donald Sanders
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On Wednesday, July 26, 2023, a summer soirée was held at the home of MIFA friends Betsy and Bruce McInnis in honor of MIFA Victory Theatre.
The party introduced the Amherst community to the impactful effect a restored theater can have on the entire region. MIFA's Don Sanders and Holyoke Mayor Joshua A. Garcia spoke on the Victory Theatre's exciting future as a major performing arts center for the region. Mayor Garcia reaffirmed the City of Holyoke's 2 Million in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds to the Victory and that we anticipate funding of $3.5 Million will be allocated to build on these funds through Governor Healey's capital spending plan. After Mayor Garica's remarks, the Armstrongs made their announcement, which was met with excited gasps and enthusiastic applause from the crowd.
Guests included Victory Theatre Catalyst Donor Michele D'Amour, MIFA Board of Directors President Teresita Alicea, Board Members John Hellweg & Dr. Alfred Hutt, and Judi Combs of Stifel investment company, which helped finance the Clark Art Institute in Williamstown, MA, and the Bushnell Performing Arts Center in Hartford, CT.
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MIFA Victory Theatre Office | |
Meet Our New Staff Members | |
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Susan Palmer
Victory Theatre Project Manager (since December 2022)
Head of Palmer-Westport Group, specializing in restoration of historic theaters across America
Susan is the former Executive Director of The Colonial Theatre, Pittsfield, MA, where she led the board/staff team to produce and present programs, raise funds, do long-range planning, and lay the groundwork for a $21,456,002 restoration of the 100-year-old, architecturally-significant historic Colonial Theatre.
Susan began her tenure with the Colonial in 1998 as a founding board member. She was a co-founder of Barrington Stage Company; managing director of The Berkshire Theatre Festival; Information Systems Manager at Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival; Director of Major Gifts at WGBY Public Television; and General Manager of CompuWorks, a systems integration firm in the Berkshires.
Susan has been on the faculty of Association for Performing Arts Presenters, and has been a program presenter at the League of Historic American Theaters at their national conferences in Boston, Kansas City, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, San Diego, and New York City.
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"It's said that it takes eight miles to turn a battleship and due to the intrepid leadership of Don Sanders the MIFA Victory Theatre has completed the final turn on its long journey and is running full steam ahead toward completion. We've announced more than $8 million in NEW funding this year and more exciting announcements are in the immediate offing. It's my pleasure and privilege to work side-by-side with Don, our legislators, our courageous Mayor, Joshua Garcia, and our community, to get this theatre open"
- Susan Palmer
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Fleur Kuhta
Administrative Assistant (since June 2023)
Fleur is a recent UMass Amherst Commonwealth Honors College graduate (Class of ’23, Cum Laude, Honors College Scholar of Greatest Distinction), double majoring in Theater & Psychology and receiving a certificate in Arts Management through the Arts Extension Service in the fall of ’22.
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"I'm beyond excited to join MIFA's staff & incredibly honored to be a part of the spectacular Victory Theatre restoration project. The impact of the Victory within both Holyoke & the entire Pioneer Valley will be jaw-dropping, and I'm thrilled to be a part of the process."
- Fleur Kuhta
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Music from Across the World
Following the success of the Victory. Players' June residency and concert in Holyoke, MIFA Victory Player's Music Director Tianhui Ng will conduct the Singapore Symphony Orchestra at the Temasek Foundation SSO National Day Concert 2023.
The concert will be streamed LIVE for free!
Watch on Sunday, August 13th at 4 pm.
Tian will return to Holyoke for the Victory Players 2024 residency and concert!
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MassLive: Holyoke mayor allots $19M in ARPA funding; Victory Theater gets $2M boost
By Dennis Hohenberger | Special to The Republican
“This award ... will ensure that we are in the final phase of getting that theater open. It will bring nightly 1,100 to 1,600 people to our beautiful city,”
- Don Sanders, MIFA Victory Theatre Executive Artistic Director
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MIFA Victory Players Successful 2023 Residency & Concerts
Following their successful residencies in San Juan (Pablo Casals Hall) & Champagne, Illinois, the MIFA Victory Players returned to Holyoke this June for their annual Residency and Concerts performing "SĂ Se Puede (Yes We Can)," which was sponsored by NEPM. The Players' "El Puerto Rico (The Rich Port)" concert also received national broadcasting on GBH.
This year the recording of the "SĂ Se Puede (Yes We Can)" was done at Holyoke Media's new Black Box Theater and was open to the public. The concert premiere was held at McCulloch Auditorium, Pratt Hall at Mount Holyoke College.
The Victory Players also gave workshops for music students at Holyoke High School as part of MIFA's ongoing Education Program and community engagement.
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Victory Theatre Float Wins 3rd Open Theme Ribbon in St. Patrick's Day Parade
MIFA was proud to participate in the Holyoke St. Patrick's Day Parade this past March and celebrate the strength & richness of Irish culture in the city. We were honored to receive the award for our float, which celebrated the Victory's history as a movie house with an over-the-top representation of a film camera.
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MIFA Victory Theater & Holyoke's 150th | |
Don't miss MIFA's unique celebration of Holyoke's artistic history! | | |
 
Victory Theatre Murals on Display at Wistariahurst Museum
On display now through March 2024, get a sneak preview of the Victory's beautiful murals, restored to their former glory by Evergreene Architectural Arts!
| This restoration was made possible through funding from the Holyoke Community Preservation Act | | |
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GREAT THEATRE...
SEPTEMBER
From the Edinburgh Festival Fringe UK to Holyoke, MA!
| "Ludmilla Dabo is one of the most recognised actresses on the contemporary French stage" - Blair Ingenthron | |
...& GREAT DANCE
OCTOBER
With the support of the Villa Albertine - Cultural Services of the French Embassy in the United States
| "The trio of powerful dancers often feel like wandering spirits, rising above the darkness through artistic expression." - Janet Smith | | | |
DATES & TICKETS COMING SOON ON MIFA WEBSITE | |
Congratulations, Kathy! 🎉
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Kathy McKean, former MIFA Managing Director, began her path to retirement in February and while it is always sad to say goodbye we would like to thank her for her over 14 years of dedication and inspiration.
Kathy’s background in education, nonprofit management, and connection to Holyoke, helped spark MIFA’s collaborations with organizations, artists, and friends and expanded MIFA’s education program and sponsorship of live events.
We wish her well in her next adventure.
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