Our Mission
Ontario Center for Performing Arts is dedicated to the production of high quality local performances for the enjoyment and enrichment of our membership and community at large, to provide support for song writers, composers, musicians and performing artists, and to recognize, encourage and support the diversity of our musical heritage.
Also known as the Oswego Music Hall, we are a 501(c)3 organization, run by a 17-member Board of Directors, operating under established by-laws, bringing great performances to Upstate New York for over 40 years.
We operate at the City of Oswego McCrobie Civic Center, an historic and classy venue that overlooks Lake Ontario. On concert evenings, the hall is transformed into an intimate venue replete with candlelit tables, professional staging and sound. Concert goers find an array of freshly baked desserts, hot cider and freshly brewed coffee.
The Music Hall is a “listening” venue sought after by songwriters and musicians. We seek to offer a venue for the unheard voice, new ideas, and those who use song to reach out from and to the edges of our culture.
Board of Directors
Ellen Wahl
Margaret Bocsor
Al Neveu
Dave Gillespie
John McConnell
TJ James
Ranjit Dighe
Joe Perry
Kathaleen DeMott
Mike Moss
Tom Lambert
Debra Rose
Brian Dice
Jess Novak
About Us
The Oswego Music Hall evolved from a little coffee house venue called “The Low Life Cafe”. It was created by Richard Reinert back in 1976, on Water Street in Oswego, New York where it was known as the Market House Music Hall. Oswego Music Hall was incorporated in 1979 and received 501(c)(3) nonprofit status in 1985. The venue relocated twice before settling into the McCrobie Civic Center, a historic municipal building adjacent to Breitbeck Park, overlooking the Great Lake Ontario.
Run by an incredibly reliable team of volunteers, Oswego Music Hall will produce 40 shows and events in 2019, managing about 19,000 volunteer hours. Since Oswego Music Hall’s inception, we have produced diverse and high quality concerts on our National Stage every other Saturday night during our fall, winter/spring seasons. We have been presenting national stage events for 40 years. In 2013 we initiated “Open Mic Fridays” which precede most national stage events. In 2015 we launched “The Hook’’ singer-songwriter series and held our first musician’s workshop.
Oswego Music Hall's programs offer Oswego and the Greater Central New York community exposure to top quality touring musicians, singers and song writers of many genres. We help support artists and music not typically heard in the mainstream media, and we encourage the development of emerging artists from our own community.
Oswego Music Hall
is supported by