Photo by Dave Bishop
Saturday evening, the community came out to say “Thank you” to Michael Burgraff. After thirteen years of leading A Center for the Arts in downtown Fergus Falls, Burgraff is retiring.
When asked about what he was most proud of Burgraff said; “The children’s theater, and the number of outreach programs that we did to the schools for the children. The shows are fun, and I knew who we were bringing in, and what it is that we were going to be doing.” Burgraff continued, “The kids, that is the future, and the more we can give them great entertainment, and get them excited about live arts; the better the future will be.”
Before taking over at a Center for the Arts, Michael ran the Matthews Opera House, in the Black Hills of South Dakota. Burgraff has worked all over the country during his career, including the Mayo Civic Center in Rochester. He was in Fairmont for 11 years, Wichita State University and Milwaukee. The thirteen years at A Center for the Arts is the longest tenure.
Even though Michael is retiring, he will be staying in Fergus Falls noting, “Jodi and I are going to stay here, we’ve got our house, we’re happy here, we love the people here.”