Two arts giants on Martha’s Vineyard are poised to merge.
Leaders with Circuit Arts, an Island nonprofit that recently celebrated a quarter century, and Martha’s Vineyard Playhouse in Vineyard Haven, the longest-running professional theater company on the Island, announced on Monday that they are exploring combining their missions into a single organization.
Both institutions say the merger would be a “win-win-win” — for the Island arts community, for Circuit Arts, and for the Playhouse.
“Both our institutions are dedicated to creating accessible, meaningful, and diverse cultural experiences — year-round and Island-wide,” Playhouse board of directors chair Gerald Yukevich shared in a statement on Monday, which was sent through an email blast. “Together, we can broaden our artistic reach and ensure that live theater, film, music, comedy, and community events continue to enrich the Vineyard for years to come.”
The merger is expected to take place over the next several months if all goes according to plan.
The news follows the upcoming retirement of MJ Bruder Munafo, artistic and executive director at M.V. Playhouse, who had been with the organization since 1986. She is retiring at the end of the year.
The Playhouse, which operates in an old Methodist meetinghouse built in 1833, was established in 1982. With a merger in place, the organization would still produce theater out of the iconic location, and would still provide housing to artists at a building recently purchased down the street.
Brooke Hardman Ditchfield, director of Circuit Stage, would serve as artistic director of the Playhouse through the transition, and could assume that role permanently following a merger. Hardman Ditchfield has also been the drama teacher at Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School since 2014, and has more than two decades of theater experience in New York City, Chicago, Boston, and the Island.
Circuit Arts, which recently celebrated 25 years, produces the annual Martha’s Vineyard Film Festival, plays, and musical performances at the Grange Hall in West Tisbury. Under the proposed structure, the Playhouse will keep its identity and become part of the Circuit Arts family of brands. The two boards would likely be combined into one, though the details of that will be explored over the coming months.
The news of the merger comes as art institutions and nonprofits around the Island are adapting to a more difficult fundraising climate. Some institutions are still working to catch up from the pandemic when ticket sales and other in-person revenue dropped severely. Then, under the latest Trump term, federal funding for the arts has been cut and big national funders like the Andrew Mellon Foundation, Doris Duke Foundation, and Ford Foundation are prioritizing different causes. That’s coupled with a growing sector of the Vineyard economy made up of nonprofits and relying on the same pool of funders. The Martha’s Vineyard Nonprofit Collaborative reports there were 297 nonprofits registered in 2022. This year, that has grown to 489 on the Vineyard.
The shift in climate has caused the Yard in Chilmark to take a year-long pause to consider its future.
M.V. Playhouse has financially, had an up-and-down last few years. According to ProPublica, which publicizes tax records of nonprofits, M.V. Playhouse was down about $82,000 in 2024 ($775,000 and $693,000 in revenue) — the latest filing made public — and down $143,000 in 2023 ($883,000 in expenses and $739,000 in revenue). But the prior two years, they were in the black — the nonprofit had a net income of $700,000 in 2022 after earning $1.2 million in contributions, and netted about $40,000 in 2021.
In an interview, Yukevich acknowledged the tough fundraising climate, noting that the two organizations would be stronger together where they could trim any unnecessary redundancies and work on a “common goal together.”
But he said that the discussions to merge began last winter when learning that Munafo would be retiring. They looked for a replacement off Island, but soon realized that they could potentially work with Hardman Ditchfield. “Right in our backyard, we have one of our brightest and most experienced artistic directors,” Yukevich said. “I’ve seen Brook in action — she’s a great director … she and Brian [Ditchfield] are so well placed in the fabric of this beautiful tapestry called Martha’s Vineyard.
Brian Ditchfield, Circuit Arts executive director, shared the enthusiasm for the merger.
“Today, I am thrilled to share news of another meaningful opportunity to amplify the arts on Martha’s Vineyard,” Ditchfield said in an email blast sent out Monday. “Both institutions share a commitment to accessible, inspiring, and diverse cultural experiences, year-round and Island-wide.”
