Westmoreland Cultural Trust seeks controller, sees rebound from pandemic

Feb. 24—Westmoreland Cultural Trust is in the market for a new fiscal manager as it looks to rebound from a pandemic-related drop in revenue and in events at its two Greensburg venues.

Longtime controller John Bolha retired in 2021 after 19 years on the job. An interim controller filled in, and the nonprofit trust is considering a job title and responsibility change for the post, CEO April Kopas said.

"We really need to look for that director of finance now," Kopas said this week. "It's a critical role, and we're looking to fill it. We just began taking résumés."

The trust is looking for a new staff member to handle fiscal planning and operations — including accounting and budgeting — while also "setting organizationwide financial strategy and ensuring all program teams are aligned under a common vision," according to the job post.

The role also includes working with Kopas as "a thought partner" on long-term strategy for continued operation of the historic Palace Theatre and the Greensburg Garden and Civic Center.

"You have to make sure you're financially able to meet your mission," Kopas said. "We're a large nonprofit that manages different venues. We want to make sure we contribute to the community — give a lot of free events and come into the communities with art."

Arts programming includes the Greensburg Music Fest, the TGIS Summer Concert Series and the Wings Across Westmoreland art installations.

Kopas said the trust is in a strong position to build back from setbacks during the covid-19 pandemic because of foundation and government funding, along with donations from the community.

"Covid grants are what really got us through," Kopas said.

The trust received a Shuttered Venue Operators Grant of about $1.2 million, a $10,000 Covid-19 Economic Injury Disaster grant and a $25,000 Westmoreland Cares grant for one-time pandemic-related needs.

It also obtained a $235,800 loan through the federal Paycheck Protection Act. It's among many loans in that progam that have been forgiven.

Kopas said the funding awards helped the trust keep aboard senior managers during the initial phase of the pandemic. Nine of 25 trust staffers avoided layoffs in 2020; now, all positions are active again, save the open controller post.

"The operating support helped us maintain our core group of senior managers and stay geared for production of shows with really skilled individuals," she said. "Without that, you would run the risk of not being able to maintain that."

The SVOG funding was "geared to arts organizations and venues," Kopas noted. "That was very helpful to fill the void of not being open for business for the covid years."

According to Kopas, The Palace Theatre went from booking 109 live events in 2019 that collectively attracted 77,293 attendees to no such events in 2020, the first year of the pandemic.

After installing a video system with the help of a $200,000 grant from the Richard King Mellon Foundation, the theater offered livestreaming of events beginning in October 2020 — including performances by the Westmoreland Symphony Orchestra, the Pittsburgh Ballet Conservatory and River City Brass Band.

The trust's annual Party at the Palace fundraiser also went virtual but is in-person Saturday for its 17th edition. The main event begins at 7:30 p.m.

The Palace Theatre's resurgence began in 2021, with 94 shows and combined attendance of 37,861. Last year, total attendance was back up to 74,461, but it was spread over a larger number of shows: 116, including 81 national touring productions.

According to data compiled by Pro Publica, the trust saw total revenue fall from close to $2.5 million in 2019 to slightly more than $2.1 million in 2020. Expenses also decreased in the respective years, from more than $2.4 million to $1.9 million.

Since post-pandemic live shows at the Palace didn't resume until July 2021, Kopas said the trust is considering combining its annual reports for 2021 and 2022, which have yet to be released.

Although events dropped off during the pandemic, the trust still had to pay utility and other overhead costs for the two buildings it manages while keeping them maintained.

Kopas said the trust helped make businesses that rent space at the buildings it manages — including the Union Trust Building and the James/Stark Block in downtown Greensburg — aware of pandemic funding sources.

At the Greensburg Garden and Civic Center, the pandemic disrupted bookings of private events such as wedding showers.

"Those kinds of familial events took longer to come back online than concerts," Kopas said.

Now, bookings are starting to pick up again at the center on Old Salem Road, which has space for banquets in addition to serving as home for such groups as the Greensburg Civic Theatre and the Westmoreland Symphony and Academy of Music.

There were 37 events held there in January compared to just four during the same time last year.

"If the trajectory keeps growing on pace, it is likely to have 360-plus events (in 2023), which is getting closer to normal times," Kopas said of the civic center. "Graduation parties and showers are the most popular event requests, and the usage of the (center's auditorium) has grown with more rehearsals associated with local performances."

Taking a lesson from recent pandemic restrictions on indoor gatherings, Kopas said the trust has expanded booking possibilities at the civic center, developing a rooftop deck that already provided the setting for a wedding.

"Once we start to have better weather, I'm sure people will be up there more regularly," she said.

Jeff Himler is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Jeff by email at jhimler@triblive.com or via Twitter .