Our Mission
To drive revitalization of historical buildings as arts venues that expand the region’s cultural and economic-development opportunities.
Our Vision
We aspire to leverage the unique potential of our revitalized spaces to create professionally equipped and staffed centers of quality for the performing arts and special events. As such we enhance our community’s opportunities to offer a year-round cultural destination for both creators and audiences.
About Us
Saving beloved buildings by creating new cultural assets, The Steeples Project is helping to revive Johnstown!
Our story of saving four historical church buildings in Johnstown’s Cambria City neighborhood begins in the small Somerset County community of Jennerstown, where 1901 Church, Incorporated was founded in 2001 to save a small church there.
A decade later, this tax-exempt organization was relocated and used to purchase three former Roman Catholic church buildings in Cambria City. One building was sold in 2015 and a former rectory was added in 2020.
Today, we offer two venues hosting arts and cultural events for the Greater Johnstown area:
The brilliant acoustics of the Grand Halle on Broad Street create an immersive experience for organ, choral and chamber music, while its Victorian Gothic Revival architecture provides a regal setting for teas and receptions.
Offering theatre companies and playwrights with a space within which they can workshop, audition, rehearse and perform year-round, the Columba Theatre Project is becoming Johnstown’s center for the dramatic arts. Meanwhile, development continues on an adaptive-reuse project that will turn Columba into a professional venue for live theatre.
The Grand Halle
The Grand Halle on Broad Street is a striking, fully renewed Victorian Gothic Revival space that brilliantly hosts concerts and special events, especially weddings and receptions.
The Columba Theatre Project
The Columba Theatre Project seeks to become Johnstown’s center for dramatic arts – a year-round host for touring companies, local theatre groups and playwrights; a source of inspiration for students.
916 Broad Street
Our ca. 1889 former rectory now houses The Steeples Project’s offices and provides ancillary spaces for theatre people and performing artists.
Support Our Mission
To support The Steeples Project, click on the Donate button below. Your support helps keep our organization running so that we can provide exciting programming and events for our community. Thank you for supporting The Steeples Project!
For information about volunteer opportunities, programming, or creative opportunities, please email us at the link below.
Leadership
Executive Director
David Hurst
Director of Operations & Marketing
Angelique Stolar
Board of Directors
In order alphabetically:
Richard Burkert
Michael Friedhofer
Laura Huchel
Harold Kolonich
Teresa Marafino
Kelly Morgan
Heidi Nagle
Kim Rauch, Board Chair
Kevin Rozich
Christine Scholl
Terry Shook