SELBYVILLE – The entertainment industry is getting an upgrade in southern Delaware as leaders behind the Freeman Arts Pavilion begin the process of bringing a permanent stage to the area.
Behind the scenes, Salisbury construction management firm Gillis Gilkerson joined Joshua M. Freeman Foundation Executive Director Patti Grimes and others from the organization for a ground-breaking ceremony in Selbyville to honor the milestone earlier this month.
“The ground-breaking for this phase of this project is a significant moment in our commitment to creating a world-class venue that not only elevates the concert-going experience but also supports the artists who bring it to life,” Grimes said in a press release. “We are grateful for our partnership with Gillis Gilkerson, our trusted builder and a group of world-class consultants. Together, we’re creating a space where magical moments and unforgettable performances will come to life.”
When the multi-year project is finished, to be paid for by a capital campaign, entertainment seekers will be able to enjoy a variety of shows on the 42-foot-tall by 100-foot-long stage, complete with state-of-the-art lighting and sound systems.
The upgrade will also include new climate-controlled back-of-house facilities which Freeman Arts Marketing Manager Alyson Cunningham said was needed so the organization can continue bringing talent to Sussex County.
“Currently, most of our hospitality area for artists is outdoors and under tents — the new back-of-house facilities will offer artists and crew climate-controlled dressing rooms, bathrooms, production offices and dining space,” she told the Delaware Business Times. “The new backstage facilities will also offer much-needed storage space. Upgrades like these will allow us to create even more exceptional experiences for artists when they play at Freeman Arts Pavilion.”
Last year, she told DBT that the Freeman Arts Pavilion brings in about 130,000 guests each summer through concerts and entertainment options at both the pavilion, which currently seats about 4,000 guests, and the organization’s arts access program which brings the arts to various groups and students throughout the state. That’s up from about 80,000 yearly guests as reported in 2021.
It’s just one piece of the puzzle for those counting on entertainment to thrive. The Delaware Arts Alliance announced that in 2021, Delaware’s creative economy generated $3.7 billion with a total gross value added of $2.2 billion.
Dwight Miller of Gillis Gilkerson said expanding on that mission and bringing the new permanent stage to the Freeman Arts Pavilion is one that leaves him and his company with “heartfelt smiles.” In recent years, his company helped the downstate venue improve its offerings by working on the box office and entry pavilion, new restrooms and the canteen expansion and exterior renovations for the main office.
“Being part of this expansion and enhancement for the performing arts for the benefit of our community is priceless,” he told DBT in a prepared statement. “The performing arts are an integral part of any community and having such a fantastic venue in our ‘backyard’ for so many to enjoy helps improve our community as a whole.”
While construction continues on the new stage, the 2025 entertainment lineup at the Freeman Arts Pavilion will continue as planned.