Carolyn Mullin. Courtesy photo.
OXNARD — The Oxnard Performing Arts Center Corporation, the 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that operates the Oxnard Performing Arts Center, is pleased to announce the hiring of its new executive director, Carolyn Merino Mullin. Prior to joining the nonprofit, Mullin – a seasoned nonprofit executive – was a City of Oxnard employee in charge of the Center’s Events, Marketing and Community Engagement. Chelsea Reynolds, the City’s General Manager for the facility, was laid off on June 30, 2019 and is pursuing other interests.
These changes come on the heels of the City’s budget shortfall for Fiscal Year 2019/2020. As of July 1, 2019 the Corporation separated from the City as part of a new agreement and will maintain operations through December 31, 2019. For the remainder of the year, The Corporation is bolstering its Board, raising capital, and positioning itself to submit for the City’s Request for Proposals (RFP), which seeks an operator for the PACC. According to City leadership, the RFP is scheduled to be rolled out in mid-August and the selected operator should be announced by November.
While the Oxnard Performing Arts Center opened in 1968, the Corporation has only been at the in place in an advisory role since 2000, overseeing its operations, maintenance, and management. The PACC was without a Manager from approximately 2012 to 2015 due to budget constraints.
In 2014 when a General Manager was brought on, the PACC began presenting its own Season of Events, reflecting the diversity of interests in the Greater Oxnard community: from theater and popular concerts to film screenings and free educational performances for schools. Additionally, The PACC supports dozens of local nonprofits through its Nonprofit Rental Credit Program and is home to several residents companies, including New West Symphony and Oxnard Musical Youth Theater.
“For the first time in our two-decade history, The PACC nonprofit will operate independently of the City. We intend to streamline operations, bring in new revenue streams, present cutting edge programming, and work hard to meet the needs and wants of the community,” reflects Gary Blum, President of the PACC’s Board of Directors. “The City of Oxnard has been at the helm since the Performing Arts Center’s launch in 1968, and now it’s our turn. We’re excited for this opportunity and are hopeful about the future of the PACC.”