Flint Institute of Music

The Flint Institute of Music (FIM) is a venerable institution that has been at the heart of Flint's cultural life for over a century. With a mission to transform the community through the power of the performing arts, FIM reaches an audience of more than 300,000 people annually. This is achieved through a variety of programs including lessons, classes, outreach initiatives, performances, and concerts. FIM is recognized as the oldest community-planned music organization in the United States and has been an early proponent of integrating arts and culture into the fabric of community well-being. FIM's artistic division boasts several components, including the Flint Symphony Orchestra, Flint Repertory Theatre, and presenting series at both the Whiting Auditorium and Capitol Theatre. It also features Movies at the Capitol Theatre. The institute is also known for its extensive community engagement through programs like Music Around Town and the Troubadours. The Flint School of Performing Arts, part of FIM, is one of the largest community schools of the arts in the nation, providing instruction and performance opportunities in music, dance, and theater for students of all ages and abilities. The Flint Institute of Music operates five performance venues. Four of these are located on the Flint Cultural Center Campus: Whiting Auditorium, Elgood Theatre, Bower Theatre, and MacArthur Recital Hall. The fifth venue is the historic Capitol Theatre, which has been renovated and is situated in downtown Flint. These venues are home to FIM's artistic productions, student recitals, community events, rentals, and touring presentations from around the world. FIM's history dates back to the formation of the Flint Community Music Association (FCMA) in 1917, under the leadership of J. Dallas Dort, an automotive pioneer and philanthropist. The FCMA was established to foster a love for music within the Flint community, and it sponsored the Flint Choral Union and organized community sings, which were particularly important for morale during World War I. The Flint Symphony Orchestra was formed in January 1918 as a community orchestra, and by 1920, it had grown to perform stand-alone classical concerts. Throughout the years, FCMA played a vital role in Flint's cultural development, with subsequent music directors expanding and enhancing its programs. The Flint Symphony Orchestra maintained a unique balance between amateur and professional musicians, contributing significantly to the community's cultural life. In the post-World War II era, the cultural offerings in Flint expanded, including the construction of Whiting Auditorium, which opened in 1967. In 1965, the Musical Performing Arts Association (MPAA) was created to professionalize the Flint Symphony Orchestra. Eventually, facing similar challenges, the MPAA and FCMA merged to form the Flint Institute of Music in 1971. This merger was met with strong community support and led to substantial growth in programs and creativity. The Flint School of Performing Arts was established in 1986, and in 2009, FIM took over the leadership of the Flint Youth Theatre, founded in 1957. The Flint Repertory Theatre was established by FIM in 2018 to provide innovative professional theater to the region. Today, the Flint Institute of Music continues to be a beacon of arts education and performance, contributing significantly to the cultural landscape of Flint and the surrounding areas.