About RiverPark Center
RiverPark Center is a non-profit regional performing arts and civic center that has entertained and educated over 4 million people – including 900,000 children – since the opening year in 1992.
RiverPark Center has nearly 100,000 square feet including a state-of-the-art 1,479 seat auditorium (Cannon Hall), the multi-purpose Jody Berry Cabaret Theatre, an extraordinary outdoor entertainment patio (The Truist Plaza) on the banks of the beautiful Ohio River, events spaces and meeting rooms, and a bricked center courtyard (Atmos Courtyard).
RiverPark Center is the premiere civic landmark on the downtown Owensboro riverfront.
A source of pride, RiverPark Center is a valuable economic development sales tool. Recruiters of industry, corporate management, and medical specialists use RiverPark Center as a highlight on the community tour.
Resident groups include the spectacular Owensboro Symphony Orchestra, OPS Fine Arts Festival, Encore Musicals, & Owensboro Dance Theatre.
RiverPark Center helps our region attract and retain good people, good families, good companies, overnight visitors, and conventions. It has stimulated millions of dollars in private investment in downtown Owensboro, enhancing the tax base, appearance, and vitality of the central business district and riverfront.
RiverPark Center's Board of Directors
- Board Chair
- Vice-Chair
- Treasurer
- Board Secretary
Scott McCain
Beth Ryan
Jeff Ebelhar, CPA
Jesse Mountjoy
Harini Cardwell
Anita Cash
Bart Darrell
Doug Field
Lelan Hancock
Allen Holbrook
Danna Johnson
Michael Johnson
Kirk Kirkpatrick
Jiten Shah
Jackie Snow
Our Mission
RiverPark Center seeks to improve the quality of life by hosting and presenting diverse arts and civic events, focusing on arts in education.
RiverPark Center History
Residents of the Western Kentucky and Southern Indiana region have made RiverPark Center their home for cultural entertainment for more than 20 years. Diverse programming has attracted thousands of visitors to our area, making RiverPark Center the “place where memories are made.”
RiverPark’s first success came in 1988 when state government awarded Owensboro a $4.5 million challenge grant to build a performing arts center. That grant was more than doubled with $10.7 million in local funds, including a remarkable $9 million from 3,000 individuals and businesses. Fundraising efforts continue to build endowments for programming and maintenance.
Construction commenced in early 1991 and RiverPark Center opened in September 1992.
Resident User Groups
Owensboro Symphony
For more than 58 years the Owensboro Symphony has brought the world’s great music to our community. The Owensboro Symphony delivers meaningful, imaginative performances as well as educational and community engagement programs that enrich lives and create memorable experiences. Don’t miss a single beat as the Owensboro Symphony celebrates a season that has something to delight everyone. Single tickets and season subscriptions are available at OwensboroSymphony.org.
Owensboro Dance Theatre
Since 1982 Owensboro Dance Theatre has been bringing an electrifying combination of dance styles to the local stage. With an annual season of three major performances in RiverPark Center’s Canon Hall, ODT has become a pillar of the Owensboro arts community. Each concert features the sensational talent of community members and guest professional dancers from across the country. Approaching its 40th season, Owensboro Dance Theatre continues to fulfill its mission of changing lives, one dance at a time through its popular Triple A (Arts Access for All) outreach programs. These innovative programs bring the magic of dance free of cost to people in our community aged 3 to 93, regardless of ability.
OPS Fine Arts Festival
Owensboro Public Schools Fine Arts Festival has a long outstanding partnership with RiverPark Center. A month long festival celebrating OPS’s best fine arts talent includes choral, theatre, dance, orchestra, band, and visual art.
Encore! Musicals
Encore! Musicals is a community theatre located in Owensboro, Kentucky, focused on providing outstanding music theatre productions using local talent.
Check out the Encore! Musicals Facebook page for more information about their upcoming season!
Key Elements of RPC
Flexible Technically-Equipped Facilities
Multi-purpose facilities were designed to accommodate the needs of local and touring arts organizations. RiverPark is intimate enough to host recitals, children’s programs, community theatre, and small ensemble concerts, yet equipped technically to accommodate sophisticated touring productions.
National Tours Launched
On several occasions major theatrical productions were assembled, rehearsed, and national tours launched from RiverPark Center.
Accommodating Civic Use
Theatres, lobbies, and meeting rooms were adaptable to civic, and private events: RiverPark has proved to be a popular location for seminars, receptions, banquets, meetings, news conferences, and many more community events.
Television and Radio Productions
RiverPark facilities have been used by Kentucky Educational Television to broadcast our 1992 Gala Opening, 1995 Senate Debates and an Evening at the Governor’s Mansion. In 2009, RiverPark Center’s International Mystery Writers’ Festival premiered a 2-hour live performance of 4 Agatha Christie works that was carried through the local NPR affiliate WNIN and streamed on-line for eager listeners.
Several dozen appearances of bluegrass music artists were taped at RiverPark for cable television’s Reno Brothers Olde Time Music Festival, and RiverPark hosted a special live broadcast of the QVC Channel for a program marketing Kentucky crafts.
A Bustling Center
More than 800 events occur at RiverPark Center each year. Performance events feature local and regional arts organizations, school groups, touring professionals, church and civic organizations.
Embraced by the Community
RiverPark Center is a hub of community life. Performing arts, graduations, awards ceremonies, corporate meetings, festivals, rallies, news conferences, wedding receptions, and class reunions are examples of events which pull us together as a community unlike any other place. And a surprising 85% of our users are non-profit organizations.
RiverPark is our premiere civic landmark on the downtown riverfront. A source of pride, RiverPark is a valuable economic development tool. Recruiters of industry, corporate management, and medical specialists use RiverPark as a highlight on the community tour. RiverPark helps our region attract and retain good people, good families, good companies, overnight visitors, and conventions. It has stimulated millions of dollars in private investment in downtown Owensboro, enhancing the tax base, appearance, and vitality of the central business district and riverfront.