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After a century offering arts and entertainment in New Bedford, the Zeiterion Performing Arts Center has been thrown into chaos — and its future may be uncertain.
On June 23, City Councilors voted to not fund a contract with the Zeiterion that the Council itself had approved this past September. That contract entered the city into a public-private partnership with the nonprofit that operates arts and education programming out of the historic, city-owned theater. In the agreement, the city affirmed it would contribute to the nonprofit’s operating expenses for seven years — with amounts ranging from around $400,000 to $500,000 each year.
“I am absolutely sounding the alarm,” said the Zeiterion’s president, Rosemary Gill, in a statement to The Light directly after the Council’s vote. She said the Council’s action “jeopardizes … the future of our nonprofit organization.”
Councilors Derek Baptiste, Brian Gomes, and Naomi Carney had each supported entering into this contract, helping its comfortable 8-3 passage last September. But during the council’s “cut night” late last month, each of these councilors changed their minds — voting to defund the budget line that designated support for the contract they previously voted for.
“I represent the people of this city, and I want to see more given back to my city and to the community,” said Baptiste on Wednesday. He added, “I didn’t really want to vote for the agreement” in September, but there was pressure to do so, Baptiste said.
Defunding the Zeiterion puts the city in breach of its agreement and could open the city to a potential lawsuit, jeopardize the theater’s operation, and throw into question its newly approved 99-year lease.
The century-old theater, built in the red-brick Georgian Revival style and once the site of celebrated world premieres — including the 1956 film “Moby Dick,” with Gregory Peck in attendance — has survived the fiercest tests of New Bedford’s last century. In the 1980s, the building narrowly avoided demolition during an economic downturn, but it was spared through an agreement that established a nonprofit to operate its programs while the city government took the building’s title. Its current $37 million renovation is mostly funded through private donations and federal and state support, with a local bond funding 2% of the overall cost.
The Mitchell administration said it intends to reintroduce the Zeiterion funds through a supplemental budget, which could be brought back to the Council later this month. In the meantime, “the loss of this money could put at risk our bridge loans with the bank,” said representatives from the Zeiterion.
“They’ve been closed for a year and a half, and we did give them money out of the ARPA funds,” Carney told The Light Wednesday, referencing the nearly $7 million in federal funding that the city awarded to the Zeiterion for its renovation. “This year I figure they can help out, and if they really need it, they can come back for a supplemental appropriation.”
“I do want to support the Zeiterion, and I think they’re a worthy cause, but I figure everyone has to chip in,” Carney added, saying the city was in a “fiscal crunch.”
“The people I talk to don’t go there,” Baptiste said. “I don’t mind appropriating the funds if it comes back up and they do things the right way — if there’s more communication …. I’d like to see more programming in the neighborhoods.”
Nicole Merusi, vice president of strategic advancement for the Zeiterion, said that several other councilors have also made the case — and she sometimes hears general complaints — that the theater does not serve the whole city or that it primarily serves the suburbs. Merusi said she would refute this complaint to councilors.
“First off, I’d say that’s not true,” Merusi said. The Zeiterion collects zip code data from its attendees, she said, and New Bedford’s zip codes are consistently the highest attendees. In the theater’s last full season (before the pandemic and the theater’s closing for renovation), 21% of tickets were purchased by New Bedford residents — more than the 17% by Dartmouth residents (second place) and 8% by Fairhaven residents (third place).
In total, the Zeiterion, its partners, and its patrons bring almost $11 million in annual economic impact to the region, according to a study the Zeiterion commissioned. New Bedford receives the majority of that economic benefit in its restaurants, businesses, and cultural atmosphere, according to Merusi.
Ward 5 Councilor Joe Lopes cited this economic benefit in describing his support for the Zeiterion agreement: “It’s a positive multiplier for the city,” he said in a recent interview with The Light. “It provides a catalyst for people that live in and around New Bedford to provide arts and entertainment.”
“Strong cities have strong arts scenes,” Lopes said.
Other significant benefits aren’t captured by the economic data. Merusi said that the Zeiterion will “serve every single kid in the New Bedford Public Schools” before they graduate. The Zeiterion collaborates with the schools to stage performances and workshops that expand on what kids are reading and learning. And Merusi said that other affiliated organizations, like the New Bedford Symphony Orchestra and the New Bedford Festival Theatre, also support students in partnership with the Zeiterion.
Merusi described the public-private partnership that New Bedford has enjoyed with the Zeiterion as “an investment,” in which the city contributes “a fraction of the cost of what it takes to run this building …. Otherwise, the city would be running the box office and programming to the tune of millions of dollars.”
Still, some city councilors have questioned whether the city should continue this public-private partnership at all. “Maybe $500,000 isn’t a lot of money in this budget,” Councilor Linda Morad has said, “but it’s the principle.”
So, how much of your tax dollars go to support the Zeiterion?
For every $1,000 of assessed home value, approximately 3.6 cents would go toward the Zeiterion, according to an analysis from Bob Ekstrom, the city’s chief financial officer.
For the average homeowner last year, that meant $1.18 per month, or $14.18 annually, assuming an average home value of around $393,000, according to Ekstrom’s analysis.
“But the spirit of what they’re saying is heard,” Merusi said of the Zeiterion’s critics on the council. “We understand that we are receiving valuable tax dollars [to create] a valuable civic space for the people of New Bedford.”
“We have a lot in common with the City Council,” Merusi said. “And we’re confident, or maybe cautiously optimistic, that the City Council can see that.”
What happens next for the Zeiterion?
The Mitchell administration is constructing a plan to bring the theater’s funding back before the Council.
The most likely avenue for restoring funds is a supplemental budget, according to both councilors and administration officials. That could be considered as soon as the July 17 meeting of the Council, and requires a simple majority to pass.
The only other avenue, transferring or reappropriating funds, is much more difficult.
“The $495,000 does not exist in any other line item,” said Ekstrom, the city’s chief financial officer. “We got a lot of cuts.”
Moreover, transferring funds between departments is a higher bar for councilors to reach, because such transfers require a supermajority of eight votes — more than the six needed to pass a supplemental budget with a simple majority.
Mayor Mitchell did not respond to a request for an interview about the Zeiterion, which was made to Jonathan Darling, the city’s public information officer. Darling said Wednesday that the administration will likely announce its next step regarding the theater later this week.
The mayor, with approval of the council, has signed an agreement with the Zeiterion nonprofit to support its annual operating expenses. As part of that agreement, the nonprofit has taken on the liability for major capital expenditures, has promised to continue offering accessible arts programming and education to the community, and will fundraise to defray the overall cost.
The current $37 million renovation of the theater is funded by $21 million in federal and state dollars, according to The Light’s previous reporting, plus significant private philanthropy.
At present, the city is in breach of its agreement, which means the Zeiterion’s funding model for its renovation — and the nonprofit’s long-term lease in the building — are resting on a broken foundation, Merusi said. However, representatives of the Zeiterion said the loss of these operating funds would not jeopardize the ongoing renovation, nor push back their plans for a 2026 re-opening.
Restoration of the plaster moldings and paintings on the ceiling above the stage were recently completed. Credit: Colin Hogan / The New Bedford Light 
A new ticket office and merchandise counter have been designed to improve vistor foot traffic and patron experience. Credit: Colin Hogan / The New Bedford Light 
A newly expanded orchestra pit includes a mechanical lift, which can be raised to provide additional seating space. Credit: Colin Hogan / The New Bedford Light
“We will exhaust all possibilities to get to a fair agreement,” said Merusi, the Zeiterion representative. Asked specifically about whether the nonprofit would enforce the agreement with a lawsuit, Merusi said that such a decision would fall to the organization’s board, but added a personal message: “Hopefully that doesn’t come to pass.”
“Our model is dictated by our mission,” Merusi said. The public-private partnership has provided an accessible home for the arts since 1982, and has served as a model for many other theaters and cities, she said.
Dissolving that could threaten the theater’s future, turning “a valuable civic asset,” Merusi said, into a “private revenue model where someone’s pockets are being lined” — or simply closing the theater for good.
Mapping support in the Council
Though the City Council’s failure to support the Zeiterion was a shock, there were early fractures and fault lines.
In September, councilors considered an amendment before they voted to approve the Zeiterion agreement. That amendment, which would’ve included 1% cost of living adjustments in the Zeiterion’s funding formula, became a measuring stick for supporting the Zeiterion.
The cost adjustments failed. Several councilors, including Baptiste, spoke out against them.
“I support the Z, but since I’ve been on this body I think that we’ve given them enough,” said Baptiste, who is often quiet and reserved during council debates. He continued, “We keep on putting money into this money pit …. I think that some other people need help.” He concluded, “I’ll be in support of the Z, but not in support of the amendment.”
Only four councilors voted to support the cost adjustments, representing a sort of inner circle of support for the Zeiterion: Ian Abreu, Shane Burgo, Leo Choquette, and Gomes.
When it came time to pass the overall agreement, the majority of the council voted in favor. All four who supported the cost adjustments were joined by Baptiste, Carney, Lopes, and Ward 6 Councilor Ryan Pereira.
It was from these varying levels of support or early hesitation that Baptiste, Gomes, and Carney changed their minds.
Gomes was among the Zeiterion’s staunchest supporters on the Council, having voted to support the cost adjustments. He did not make any remarks during the September debate or when the Zeiterion agreement was slashed in June. Gomes did not respond to phone calls or emails from The Light seeking further comment.
Baptiste’s remarks opposing the cost adjustments in September may have foreboded his eroding support. He did not make further comments during the June “cut night.”
Carney did not speak out in any of these debates, but she is known as one of the more fiscally conservative councilors.
For the city to restore its agreement with the Zeiterion, some councilors will have to change their votes — perhaps back to how they voted in September.
But the competing political priorities of fiscal hawkishness and supporting one of the city’s most popular institutions have made even the Zeiterion’s allies reticent to politick on its behalf.
Councilor Joe Lopes, asked if he’d work to convince other councilors about the Zeiterion’s “return on investment” — a phrase he has used to describe his own support — said, “I respect my colleagues … Each member of the council gets to make a decision that they feel is best.”
Lopes said he didn’t think he’d be making any calls to his colleagues on the issue. “I believe the [mayor’s] administration will be making phone calls,” he said.
Email Colin Hogan at chogan@newbedfordlight.org
I am sorry to see the current controversy regarding the jeopardy of the city funding contribution towards the Zeiterion. The Z is a core component of the many things that help make New Bedford a vibrant city heading in the right direction.
The surrounding towns and rural areas and New Bedford are the components of a blended eco-system which is beneficial to all of its members. Regardless of home addresses, those who come to New Bedford events at the Z spend money at city businesses and institutions and in return enjoy the food, cultural, and entertainment offering of New Bedford. This is a win-win situation. Most of the money supporting the Z operations and its physical renovations has come from Federal and MA funding and also the generous contributions from individuals and companies from both New Bedford and its surrounding communities. Lets not get myopic! Continuation of a vibrant and financially stable Zeiterion is critical for the City of New Bedford and deserves the city financial support that was promised, justifiable, and needed.
Carney requesting that The Z “pitch in” is pure ignorance. Have they not taken on the $37 million burden of renovating a city owned building? From what I understand, The Z takes on the vast majority of the financial contribution here, at their own risk, and the city has only actually given a small fraction of their own money (since APRA funds are federal money that the city distributed).
It’s also sheer ignorance for Derek Baptiste to say he wants to see the Z do more for the community. It’s a non-profit arts organization… Literally everything they do is for the community. I went to a wonderful event in June at Gallery X that the Z put on and the audience was filled with people of all different backgrounds and ages. A free event, I might add. Maybe Derek needs to get out more.
Anyone who’s spent any time at all traveling or even simply researching the subject would know that a thriving arts scene can be transformative for an economically depressed urban area and in the case of New Bedford the arts scene has done quite a bit to bring visitors to the area and inject some money into the local economy so far and with significantly more potential in the future. This brazen hostility toward the Zeiterion might play well with a certain older, poorer and more conservative demographic within their constituencies but if their cuts end up shuttering the place or drastically reducing its operations downtown New Bedford and the city as a whole will be far worse off because of it.
This city council is out of control and does not represent the residents of the City. First they ignore the administration AND the Secretary of State’s office and move the primary – making it harder for residents to vote in absentia…and now taking away promised funds (seems to be a trend these days) to an important institution in this city – The Z – which benefits ALL school children in New Bedford. Further – it appears their actions could be illegal. Vote them all out I say! Time for a change!
Smartest move they ever made.
Only if the goal is to remake New Bedford as an undesirable and boring backwater where almost no one with other options wants to live, operate a business or invest while continuing to encourage a massive brain drain as it’ll be the kind of place practically every high school graduate going away to college with a promising future aspires never to return to.
To feel a knife slowly twisting in your back must be awfully painful. Well, that’s what 3 city councilors did to the Zeiterion Theater. One councilor stated that he didn’t want to fund the Theater to begin with, but he was under pressure to do so. That doesn’t bode well for this councilors character. If the Zeiterion sues, as expected, it will cost the city taxpayer legal fees for a challenge that they may lose. So, they pay the Zeiterion what was promised plus legal fees. Taxpayers lose.
As a long standing property owner and tax payer, I support funding the Z. The city has become a better place with so many improvements. To add a center piece culture center like the Z is a generational improvement. When I travel I often enjoy well groomed town squares, tree lined streets and parks. Yes, maybe the Z doesn’t serve all aspect of our community, but it does attract folks who do support that same community. Please support funding for this very special part of my city.
This does not make sense. The Z is a cornerstone of the arts and culture vibrancy of New Bedford and an economic engine for the downtown area. If they are looking to save money why did they give over a hundred thousand of ARPA funds with no vetting to the New Bedford Research and Robotics private enterprise?
The Zeiterion Performing Arts Center lights the way for New Bedford’s future. To extinguish the light for political or cost-cutting rationales is short-sighted. ‘Lighting the Way’ in New Bedford is inspired by historic precedent. When I read the letters, manuscripts and history of New Bedford’s founding families a central theme emerged: Vision for the future. By embracing new technologies, following religious beliefs for social action, promoting horticulture to green and feed the city, and incorporating arts and culture every day, everywhere, New Bedford lived up to her motto: Lucem Diffundo, lighting the way. The Zeiterion Performing Arts Center now restored to her former magnificent glory is a testament to New Bedford’s faith in a better tomorrow. The Zeiterion is not an elitist non-profit. It gives back to New Bedford with community involvement, education, cultural enrichment, and programming. The Zeiterion draws crowds from the South Coast and beyond. Theater goers support the local businesses and spread the word that New Bedford is once again a ‘Shining City on the Hill.’ For New Bedford’s sake, allow the Zeiterion to light the way for a brighter future. Don’t break your promise. Fund the Zeiterion.
One observes, with a certain weary fascination, the recent decision to defund the Zeiterion Performing Arts Center. It is presented, no doubt, as a measure of prudent austerity, a valiant effort to prune the budgetary bloat that so often afflicts municipal ledgers. Yet, upon closer inspection, this act reveals itself as a rather peculiar brand of economy – one that sacrifices the evident for the ephemeral, and disdains the obvious for the merely convenient.
To speak of New Bedford’s future is to speak, one assumes, of its growing vibrancy. This vibrancy, often dismissed by the financially timid as a mere cultural indulgence, is in fact the very lifeblood that draws intellect, industry, and, ultimately, the very economics that are so eagerly pursued. It is not, as some would imagine, a consequence of a flourishing budget, but rather its most reliable precursor. To diminish that vibrancy is to effectively starve the very tree from which future revenue might fall. One might as well economize on oxygen in the hope of breathing more cheaply.
The notion that one can effectively transform the city by dismantling its established cultural pillars strikes one as a particularly naive form of progress. The Zeiterion, with its historic role and its undeniable contribution to the city’s character, is not some expendable adornment. It is a necessary component of the organism. To divest from it now, particularly after contracts entered into, is not merely a budgetary adjustment; it is a declaration that the city’s word is as fluid as its financial projections, and that its vision of the future is remarkably short-sighted. One waits, with bated breath, for the inevitable revelation that common sense, too, might be deemed an unaffordable luxury.
One’s head must be very high up in the clouds for one to produce such lofty prose, thereby reinforcing the belief that the arts are only for one’s equally high-minded peers. Conversely and contrarily, one could have said one’s mind more simply and clearly, whilst saving oneself a fair amount of cash in 50-cent words.
The Zeiterion should not be singing the blues, they should be very grateful, they’ve gotten quite a bit from the taxpayers of New Bedford (a free building, yearly funding, and millions of dollars to complete new building renovations). If the Zeiterion is in need of more funding, it’s time for them to get to work, reach out to their supporters, hold events, and start fundraising.
Let’s do some math. This project costs $37 million. The city directed $7 mil in ARPA funds and has contributed $750k from the capital improvement budget. That means The Z has secured just under $30 million in other funds to make this project possible. That’s hard work.
If you pay attention to their emails and social media, they are actively fundraising and had an event a few weeks ago. They also invest millions each year into operating the theater, which the city would have to pay if this nonprofit wasn’t doing that work. And based on their website, they do this all with less than two dozen people on their staff. I think it’s safe to say that they have been working hard. It’s actually very impressive that they have made it to this point of the project. Most would have given up a long time ago.
Have you made your donation?
Not everyone feels the way you do. It is only common sense that budget dollars be used and allocated to fund critical city services and infrastructure needs that are required throughout our city. Till things change and we get new leadership n city hall, it’s real simple, no city official should be making funding promises to any company whether a non profit or otherwise when this city has to rely on state aid and raising taxes to pay it’s bills.
Show me the plan to use these funds to fix these critical issues you have hinted at.
Hiding behind a screen name called Anonymous, takes away your comments credibility, time to grow up.
Terrible vote. Putting one of the City’s shining stars, culturally and economically at risk. Talk about cutting off your nose to spite your face! Can only hope for a different outcome when the supplemental budget comes up for a vote.
I wonder if the NB City Council thinks that the city is an ‘encampment’, temporary, just existing, ready to move out? Do they think we have a need only for a water and food source, simple shelter and nothing else? What are we without cultural gifts? What kind of place do they want this to be? I am in favor of living as best we can with some vibrancy if we can manage it and the “Z” has done that for a century, making NO profit, but contributing to our welfare and well being. I for one am ashamed of the city council.
New Bedford is doing nothing to fund the renovation the Z raised the 37 million budget, for the city owned building. The city doesn’t want to continue their 400K to the Z then sing over ownership to the Z
Wow! Cutting funding to the Z managed to save a whopping $4 dollars per year per New Bedford resident. Get that tank of gas on your city councilors!