Outdoor entertainment is a fun way to spend any season, whether it is enjoying a live music performance over the summer or huddling up and watching a holiday play during the winter. Soon, the Harry M. Cornell Arts and Entertainment Complex will be introducing an addition to its outdoor stage that makes it perfectly suitable for all seasons: a stage covering! The covered stage will boast modern lights and a vast sound system, and will soon be the site of many outdoor performances in the Joplin area. In the past, events in the Cornell Complex have been made possible by two nonprofit organizations which are crucial in facilitating day-to-day operations in the building: Spiva Center for The Arts and Connect2Culture. According to Emily Frankoski, Director of Connect2Culture, “these two organizations make Cornell Complex come alive, and it is important for them to preserve their identities and continue to grow.”
Connect2Culture is an organization in the Joplin area dedicated to providing opportunities for people to connect across communities through celebration of art, culture, and entertainment. The organization regularly hosts musical entertainment, comedy shows, and more. Spiva Center for the Arts is another Joplin organization which started in 1948 and has since been providing experiences in visual arts across the 4 states. The organization hosts arts and crafts classes and art exhibits for surrounding communities and strives to build human connections through art appreciation. Together, these organizations provide an enriching and diverse environment in the Cornell Complex.
To celebrate the outdoor stage covering, Spiva Center for The Arts and Connect2Culture are hosting an all-day event with exciting entertainment for all ages! The event will be hosted on December 7th from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m., and will encompass a maker’s market, an ornament decorating event, an outdoor canopy celebration, and a live theatrical play.
If you’re looking to buy last-minute holiday gifts for family and friends, the Spiva Maker’s Market is a great place to shop! Community artisans will display their unique artwork, and a punch card will be provided to visitors to fill out for the chance to win items from the market. The market will be open from 10 a.m. to 5:45 p.m., and it will be located on the 3rd floor of the Cornell Complex. If you like arts and crafts, you’ll be happy to find out that the event will also have ornament decorating during this time on the 2nd floor. Visitors can come in and decorate their ornaments at no cost, and will be able to take the ornaments with them to put on their Christmas trees.
If you’re interested in finding out more about the stage canopy, visit the Leggett & Platt Green from 6:00-6:30 p.m. to see the stage, listen to remarks by the hosts of the event (Connect2Culture, Spiva Center for the Arts, and Cornell Complex) and enjoy musical performances by the Joplin High School choir! At the end of the celebration, a grand finale will highlight the sound and lighting facilities for all to see. After the celebration, be sure to head to Beshore Performance Hall for “An Evening in Kringle City” hosted by Connect2Culture at 7:00 p.m.! Tickets are required for this portion of the event, and can be purchased at connect2culture.org, by phone at (417) 621-9824, or at the C2C box office inside the Cornell Complex (Tuesday–Saturday, 1:00–5:00 p.m.). After the play, families have the chance to meet Santa Claus and take photos with him! If you’d like to gather further details about the event, be sure to visit bit.ly/cc-a-winter-welcome for more info!
