About

Who We Are

MTVarts is a non-profit community theatre production company, driven primarily by volunteers, with proven success providing quality, affordable entertainment to our community while continually building organizational infrastructure to ensure long-term survival.

What We Do

MTVarts is making theatre. We are a producing theatre company with a fluid business plan, staying true to our pledge to be audience driven. We also offer arts education at warehouse14 with classes and workshops. Special projects have included production of original works like Rooted:Stories of Knox County and Welcome Home, a Tribute to Vietnam Veterans, as well as one-act festivals, kids breakfast club, interactive theatre, musical revues, partnership events, and 2013’s The JJ Project, which made a boy’s dream of directing a reality. We provide production assistance to schools, theatre groups, and community events.

Our History

Originally designed as a communication tool, MTVarts grew from a local theatre troupe called Bruce Jacklin & Company. BJ&C, with production support by MTVarts, offers dinner theatre at The Alcove Restaurant, a 100-year-old institution in historic Mount Vernon. Our first venture as MTVarts was a 2007 production of Disney’s Beauty and the Beast. In 2008, MTVarts was granted Public Charity Status 509 (a) (2) and is tax exempt under section 501 (c)(3) of the IRS. Your contributions to MTVarts are tax deductible.

Our Mission

Together we are inspiring dreams; teaching skills, instilling confidence and courage; and ensuring quality affordable live theatre. Our core values are all-volunteer, audience-driven, fueled by passion, quality, and innovation.

Imagine more, together!

Our Organization

MTVarts is governed by an all-volunteer Board of Trustees (changed only by resolution) to ensure continuity of vision and purpose. MTVarts is blessed with a core of dedicated volunteers who donate hours of time, goods, and services for day-to-day management of productions and facilities.

We are funded through ticket sales, donations, grants, and corporate support.

The MTVarts logo was designed by BlackCatCreative to represent the fingerprint each artist leaves on their work. A tree was chosen as our graphic identity to visually illustrate there is as much unseen as there is seen, and our audience-driven organization pledges to remain green and growing. Our tagline best describes all that is MTVarts . . . Imagine more, together!

With the support of The Ariel Foundation and Knox County Properties, our dream to lease a space for rehearsal, workshops, and costume/prop storage became reality in 2014. MTVarts continually works to renovate our brick-and-mortar home, warehouse14, for maximum efficiency. We also continue to work with the City of Mount Vernon and other community partners toward the creation of a working place where art and science meet the community in historic Blackberry Alley.