The Winter Park Playhouse recently celebrated the opening of its newly renovated theater. The project was made possible in part through an Orange County arts and cultural grant funded by Tourist Development Tax revenues. The renovation gives the Playhouse a permanent home while expanding its ability to welcome audiences, support local artists and offer year-round musical theater programming.
Orange County has directed a portion of Tourist Development Tax revenue to arts and cultural grants since 2002. The program began with four organizations receiving a combined $500,000 and has grown to more than $31 million supporting more than 40 organizations, with many awards requiring matching funds. The county's nonprofit arts and cultural sector supports nearly 5,000 jobs and generates approximately $265 million in direct economic activity each year, according to the county, and cultural visitors tend to stay longer and spend more than other travelers.
The Playhouse faced the possibility of losing the theater it had occupied for 22 years when the property's private owners announced plans to sell the building in 2023. Executive Director Heather Alexander said the grant provided long-term stability for the nonprofit professional musical theater. The expanded venue includes 48 additional seats, a larger stage, an elevated band loft, upgraded lighting and sound systems, expanded backstage and dressing-room areas, and a new performance space for the monthly Spotlight Cabaret Series. Before the renovation, performances frequently sold out and the theater turned guests away, and the improvements will allow the organization to serve thousands more patrons each year.
Press release issued by Orange County Government Newsroom:
https://newsroom.ocfl.net/2026/08/tax-investment-helps-raise-the-curtain/
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