Nearly 100 guests — including Lt. Gov. Aruna Miller, Baltimore County Executive John “Johnny O” Olszewski Jr., Baltimore County Council President Julian E. Jones Jr., Baltimore County Councilman Israel C. “Izzy” Patoka (D-2nd), and other business and civic leaders — were on hand Thursday, Mar. 9, for an official ribbon-cutting ceremony unveiling the new grand lobby of the Gordon Center for Performing Arts in Owings Mills.
The hourlong program featured brief remarks from dignitaries and a luncheon. Among those in attendance were longtime Gordon Center supporter Myrna Edelman Cardin, a former Jewish Community Center of Greater Baltimore chair; Marc B. Terrill, president of The Associated: Jewish Federation of Baltimore; JCC Board Chair Laura Rubenstein; and JCC/Gordon Center CEO Barak Hermann.
Located at 3506 Gwynnbrook Ave. on the campus of the Rosenbloom Owings Mills JCC, the 550-seat Gordon Center opened in 1995 — with funding from the Peggy & Yale Gordon Trust — primarily as a classical music venue with a focus on Jewish-themed programming. Today, the center offers a multi-disciplinary performance season of live music, dance, family programs and film, and is home of the JCC’s William and Irene Weinberg Family Baltimore Jewish Film Festival.
The center is considered one of Baltimore County’s premier performing arts venues. It is the centerpiece of the JCC’s Center for Arts & Culture that includes Gordon Outdoors, an outdoor event/performance space, youth arts and virtual cultural programming for adults.
The lobby will be designed to enhance patron experience and support the center’s use as a dynamic venue for the JCC, its agencies and external community partners. The lobby will feature a more open, contemporary floor plan and layout with a larger concession area, a built-in, 11-foot, free-standing video wall, new carpeting, LED lighting and an updated display space in the Joseph and Rebecca Meyerhoff Gallery.
The improvements in design, technology and functionality intend to ensure the center’s programmatic and financial sustainability by increasing rental income and enhanced partnership opportunities.
“The JCC offers transformational programming, resources and a true sense of community for Baltimore County residents and this renovation of its Gordon Center makes the space even more versatile for its lineup of exciting and diverse performances,” said Olszewski. “We congratulate the organization on the well-deserved update and look forward to a continued partnership for years to come.”
Said Miller: “Performing arts spaces like The Gordon Center provide a platform for marginalized voices to be heard, cultural communities to be seen, and diversity and inclusivity to be felt. When we invest in the arts, we are investing in diversity and inclusion and we are investing in a culture of creativity that fuels economic growth and enriches our communities.”
The public will get a first look at the newly renovated Gordon Center at the fifth annual J Live on Thursday Mar. 30, beginning at 7:30 p.m. The event will be accompanied by “Motown Forever” and feature desserts, complimentary beer and wine. For information, click here.
Among the upcoming Gordon Center programs will be Jmore’s second annual Aging Gratefully event on Tuesday evening, Mar. 28, featuring exhibitors from throughout the community and a moderated panel discussion with experts on various aspects of aging.
For information about the Gordon Center, visit jcc.org/gordon-center.
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