The Extraordinary Times returns to catch up with leaders in the local arts, historical, and cultural scene of southwestern Ohio. This month, we meet Ian MacKenzie-Thurley Executive Director of the Fitton Center for Creative Arts in Hamilton, Ohio. A native of Australia and a naturalized American citizen, Ian attained his Bachelor’s Degree in Music from the Queensland Conservatorium of Music in Brisbane, and earned a post-graduate diploma in directing at the National Institute of Dramatic Art in Sydney, Australia. Before moving to the States, Ian worked in the UK, producing and directing stage productions in Wales and London.
* How and when did you end up moving to Hamilton, Ohio to run the Fitton Center? I first came to Hamilton, Ohio in the summer of 2000 after meeting my (then to be) wife in an opera house in the Czech Republic. She was living and studying in Cincinnati at the time, but she had grown up in Hamilton. We came back for a few months’ vacation in spring 2013 and decided to stay. After being granted my Green Card in 2014, I applied for the position at the Fitton Center in early 2015 and started as the new Executive Director in May of that year. And in January of 2017 I became a citizen of the United States. * Is it fair to say that Hamilton has defied expectations in flourishing around the arts? If so, what is the secret of this community’s success? Yes, very fair to say that! But not just in the arts. Hamilton tends to “punch well above its weight” on community and business development, economic growth as well as innovation and expansion. With that the arts are very well valued, respected and supported by the city as a whole and most importantly the community that is made up of. The secret of this community’s success is exactly that, the community. The great majority of what Hamilton has achieved in the past 10-15 years has been community led. City leadership and City Council have certainly been a huge part of that equation, but the changes in city council leadership and development have all been led by grass-roots community involvement that have laid the foundations. Volunteerism and hands on community involvement are at the backbone of all that Hamilton continues to achieve! * How has the Fitton Center adapted to the challenges of the pandemic to build engagement in our community? 2020 & 2021 turned out to be extraordinarily challenging and also extraordinarily busy for the Fitton Center and the team here. We were able to open our doors for education and summer camp programming as early as June 2020, with outstanding support from the City of Hamilton Health Department, and have continued to grow that programming in the subsequent months. We have found innovative ways to engage with our existing and new audiences through programs such as Fitton Outside the Box, which saw performances in bars, restaurants and bowling alleys. The Fitton on the Hill series had live concert performances and family shows up at Pyramid Hill over two seasons. And the Hamilton Current digital art show saw original artwork projected at 40ft high on the side of the Fitton Center. In addition, we were able to work partners such as TVHamilton to produce original programming on TVHamiton’s cable and digital channels, including symphony, cabaret and Christmas programming. The Wings of Hope mosaic mural came as a direct response to the pandemic with over 1000 hand made glass butterflies created, coming for 29 US states and 8 countries internally to form an original mosaic mural on the Fitton’s Monument Avenue pergola, which has been incredibly impactful. * What new experiences can Fitton audiences look forward to in 2022? We’re always excited to offer an incredibly diverse range of programming at the Fitton Center. We want to ensure we offer education, entertainment and engagement opportunities that will appeal to a broad spectrum throughout the community. We are right in the middle of our (shortened) 2021-2022 Season of performances, exhibitions and events. This ranges from family programming that includes drama, comedy, dance and puppetry, through to our Fitton Showstoppers Series that has Funk, Classical, Broadway and Rock performances, as well as our Jazz & Cabaret Series with live music, dance nights and a Drag Show! We are currently planning our 2022-2023 Season and we are taking that opportunity to step back and have a good look at all our programming and scheduling to keep all of our events fresh, exciting and engaging for the whole community. * As a naturalized US citizen, what do you enjoy most about living in southwest Ohio? I had always enjoyed visiting the Midwest. It’s its own slice of America, with a very different vibe and pace to it, especially after living in cities like Sydney and London. But aside from our family here, it’s the community that has really drawn us back and kept us here. Being a part of something bigger than ourselves, but small enough that you can see the impact we can make, together. It’s something very special. I am sure that other small cities are doing incredible things around the county, but right now in Hamilton we have a unique opportunity and it’s great to be a part of that coming together.
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AuthorMatthew Smith, PhD (History). Public Programs at Miami University Regionals. Historian of Appalachia, the Ohio Valley, & the early American republic. Archives
February 2024
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