The Beck Center For The Arts proved in 2020 that the show must go on.
By wowing audiences, alumni, parents and donors with virtual classes and performances, the nonprofit
performing arts education center based in Lakewood beat out 63 local favorites in our inaugural eight-week, bracket-style competition Best of the
Best.
“We were so nervous at the beginning of this year because everything we did was live and in-person,” says Julie Gilliland, director of marketing. “It took some creativity, but luckily, everybody in the arts has a talent for that.”
Votes poured in for the organization from donors, such as the ones that helped fund a renovation aimed at making the campus more accessible; famous alumni, such as Rocky River native Michael Chernus of Orange is the New Black fame, who tweeted his support; and parents of students for whom the Beck Center has offered a creative outlet during the pandemic.
“I really think it was a saving grace for people of all ages,” says Gilliland. “We want every student and every performer to succeed. We will raise you up and recognize you.”
Cleveland Magazine's Best of the Best - Beck Center from Great Lakes Publishing on Vimeo.
