It has been a very good year at the Osceola Center for the Arts.

The center has added programs, an administrative/theater complex and this month it has some new employees as well as new positions.

“This is something I have been working on for a number of months,” Ed Moore, executive director of the center, said this week.

Arin Gullett Thrower, currently serving as director of marketing and membership, is now production director and Children’s Theatre director. Stephanie Day came on board in 2008 and since that time has been co-director of the Children's Theatre productions, manages the costume shop and coordinates volunteers and writes grants. The new position includes all of that plus taking over the responsibilities of the front desk (ticket sales, class and camp registrations and answering calls). She will take on the responsibilities of the box office, effective immediately.

“We’re excited to grow our team with such creative and hard-working individuals as we continue to grow the arts in Osceola County,” Moore said.

With the building expansion phase complete and several new classes and programs under way, Moore said it was time to change some of the structure of the center.

“Arin will be on the production side, handling shows and children's theater,” he said.

Thrower has been handling public relations and marketing for the center and will continue to work in that capacity as well.

Moore said he also was very impressed with Krivinchuk and said he will be an asset to the arts center.

“He is a good guy and has done a very good job everywhere he has been,” Moore said. “He has been with Orlando Health Care for 10 years, but he has a passion for this (working with the arts).”

It has been a slow and steady process building the art center, Moore said.

“I came here in 2005, making contacts,” he said.

Thanks to funding from Osceola County, the center was able to expand and has begun new program activities.

“We now touch 50,000 to 60,000 people each year,” with classes, stage shows, art exhibits and festivals and more, he said.

The center's art exhibit receptions sometimes only drew 10 people, Moore said. But now the monthly Tuesday night events typically attract 100 to 125 people.

The center’s exhibits cover all facets of art — photography, painting, drawing and more, he said.

“It's good stuff,” Moore said.

Another area of growth has been in youth programming.

Areas of expansion include programs for second- through fourth-graders and string orchestra for middle school students.

“And our children's theater has just blossomed,” he said.

Moore said center staff works closely with the Osceola County School District to come up with programs the district lacks.

“We want to supplement what is happening at the schools,” he said.

And the new theater annex, which is also home to the administrative complex, gives the center new options for presenting shows that are more avant-garde, Thrower said.

The annex theater hosted a sold-out Italian dinner show, with opera and Italian favorites recently, she said.

The Osceola Center for the Arts Broadway Series kicks off next month (Oct. 22-Nov. 7) with “South Pacific.” Other upcoming shows in the series include “Miracle on 34th Street,” “Hello, Dolly!,” “Arsenic and Old Lace,” “Chicago” and “Barefoot in the Park.”

Other special events scheduled for the upcoming year include the Osceola Art Festival at Valencia Community College's Osceola Campus, Feb. 12-13.

For more information on shows, classes, workshops and other events scheduled at the center, go to www.ocfta.com or call 407-846-6257.