Residents of Champaign-Urbana were given a treat when two of its great venues in Champaign-Urbana came together last spring as Krannert Center for the Performing Arts and Champaign’s historic Virginia Theatre combined efforts to present performances by the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign’s Department of Dance and the School of Music’s Lyric Theatre.
Colwell Society members Kathryn and Michael Andrecak have fond memories of their time in Champaign-Urbana despite no longer living there. They both have a strong appreciation for the arts and would often attend productions at Krannert Center and visit the Krannert Art Museum. In 2022, Michael and Kathryn designated a significant portion of their estate to be split evenly between Krannert Center and Krannert Art Museum.
Susan and Michael Haney recognize the exceptional value of experiences that only the performing arts and cultural centers can provide. Since the Haneys made their very first gift to Krannert Center in 2010, they’ve sponsored close to 40 performances.
Krannert Center welcomed the return of public, in-person audiences in spectacular style with the 2021 ELLNORA guitar festival. Many of the Center’s patrons considered this re-opening as a return to normalcy, where artists and attendees alike came together for the communal experience of creating and enjoying music.
Krannert Center holds a long-standing commitment to improving accessibility around the arts, seeking ways in which the facility itself can be more navigable for everyone in our community.
Sam Smith, Krannert Center’s director of civic engagement and social practice (MSW ’94), works to capture the increasing social impact of the Center’s engagement practice in local, national, and international contexts and along the thematic lines that reflect the Center’s commitment to social justice.
