Issues. People. Events.

The Palace Theater is opening its doors for a day of tours, special offers, and an exclusive sneak preview of the assembly of Waterbury’s largest piece of mosaic artwork during Connecticut Open House Day on Saturday, June 9, from 11 a.m. – 2 p.m.

Residents who stop by the theater during the statewide event will have the option of taking guided or self-guided tours of the historic venue with the opportunity to explore the stage. There they will have a unique, behind-the-scenes look at dozens of community volunteers hard-at-work while piecing together a large porcelain mosaic being created as a public work of art. The project, administered by the City of Waterbury and the Arts and Culture Collaborative of the Greater Waterbury Chamber of Commerce Foundation, was funded through a City Canvases Initiative grant from the State of Connecticut’s Department of Economic and Community Development (DECD), with support from the National Endowment for the Arts, Connecticut Office of the Arts, local contributions and the efforts of dedicated community volunteers.

The mosaic, designed by Connecticut artists Joanne and Bruce Hunter, will be comprised of 60 individual 3 x 5 foot panels, each composed of thousands of individual colored tiles. When all the tiles are glued and the panels are mounted, a work of art with a theme unique to Waterbury will be revealed and displayed on a building on South Main Street. The City Canvases initiative is a one-time program initiated by DECD to enhance public spaces through the commissioning of large-scale works of public art, in an effort to help shape dynamic spaces and create livable, vibrant communities that attract economic development.

In addition to the tours, the Palace Theater is also featuring a one day only $50 special on its E-PASS

Membership (regularly priced at $75).An E-PASS gives customers advanced e-mail notice of Palace shows with the opportunity to buy tickets in prime seating locations before the general public.  E-Passes purchased on Connecticut Open House Day are valid July 1, 2012 – June 30, 2013. The one day sale price is available by phone at 203-346-2000, online atwww.palacetheaterct.org, or in person at the Box Office, 100 East Main Street in Waterbury.

Connecticut Open House Day is an annual statewide event during which cultural organizations and tourism attractions throughout the state open their doors to Connecticut residents, inviting them to discover and rediscover Connecticut’s fascinating world of art, history, film and tourism. The unique one-day event is part of a broad state initiative that began in 2005. For more information, visit www.ctvisit.com.

About The Palace Theater
The Palace's primary purpose is to revitalize the Greater Waterbury community through the presentation of the performing arts and educational initiatives in collaboration with area cultural and educational institutions. Its mission is to preserve and operate the historic Palace Theater as a performing arts center and community gathering place that provides a focal point of cultural activity and educational outreach for diverse audiences. For more information, visit:www.palacetheaterct.org.

The Palace Theater gratefully acknowledges support by Bank of America, City of Waterbury, Comcast, Connecticut Commission on Culture and Tourism, Naugatuck Savings Bank, Republican-American, Waterbury Hospital, Webster Bank, WATR 1320AM, and WTNH/MyTV9.