Overture Center for the Arts is a performing arts center and art gallery in Madison, Wisconsin, United States. The center opened on September 19, 2004, replacing the former Civic Center.

Venue: Overture Center for the Arts
Town: Madison, US

Overture Center for the Arts is a performing arts center and art gallery in Madison, Wisconsin, United States. The center opened on September 19, 2004, replacing the former Civic Center. In addition to several theaters, the center also houses the Madison Museum of Contemporary Art. The center was commissioned by Jerome "Jerry" Frautschi and Pleasant Rowland, founder of American Girl. The entire building costs were covered by multiple gifts totaling $205 million from Fraustchi and Rowland. It was designed by architect César Pelli, whose notable projects include the Petronas Towers in Kuala Lumpur and the Salesforce Tower in San Francisco. The Overture Center for the Arts building replaced the Madison Civic Center, which was located on the same block on State Street. Since opening in 2004, the Overture Center has had five Presidents and CEOs. Bob D'Angelo, the first President and CEO, resigned in 2005 following an Overture Center employee's allegations of sexual harassment. Following his resignation, D'Angelo served 10 months of a one-year prison term for tax evasion and misusing his city office. More recent Presidents and CEOs of the Overture Center include Michael Goldberg, Tom Carto, Ted DeDee and Sandra Gajic. After Frautschi and Rowland's initial gift of $100 million, the philanthropists donated another $100 million to ensure it would be a "state-of-the-art" venue. Some citizens complained that the city's priorities were skewed, with some critics arguing the project would hurt the image of nearby State Street and others believing the cultural center would only be accessible to the wealthy while limiting access to local and smaller acts and artists. After the initial construction of the center, concerns were raised over additional funding. Citizens became concerned that Overture's reserve funds would decrease and during the Great Recession, the potential was raised for the city to step in to maintain funding levels. These fears were exacerbated by the liquidation