Cultural Arts Facilities in Pleasanton
PCAC has been involved since 1974 with raising funds to help support, expand, and sustain our community’s arts facilities and programs.
THE CULTURAL ARTS BUILDING
Years ago, PCAC actively supported and rallied community support for the construction of the Cultural Arts Building on Black Ave to house arts activities. The facility has recently been renovated inside and out by the City of Pleasanton, and a sculpture to enhance the building will be installed in Spring of 2017. PCAC provided $11, 000 to partially support the Jon Seeman sculpture selected for the front of the building, Currently the facility is being used for dance and ceramics.
THE AMADOR THEATER
During the 1980s, in a concerted effort with the City of Pleasanton and the Pleasanton Unified School District, PCAC members chaired the committee and led the capital campaign to renovate the Amador Theater, raising over $800,000 for the project. PCAC continues to support the needs of the theater by obtaining funding for improvements such as dressing rooms, balcony upgrades, and the purchase of a concert-quality grand piano.
THE FIREHOUSE ARTS CENTER
Old Fire Station Number One served downtown Pleasanton well for many years. It is located on Railroad Avenue, in Wayside Park, just a few steps off Main Street in the heart of downtown.
The fire department vacated the station in favor of a new facility on Bernal Avenue. By the decision of the City Council, the historic old station house was totally rebuilt, and has become a first-class small arts center.
Arts facilities are very commonly built and operated with a combination of public and private funds. That has been the case here. The Pleasanton Cultural Arts Foundation, PCAC’s fundraising, sister organization, has raised funds to help make this new arts facility a reality. The new facility is owned and operated by the City of Pleasanton, but private contributions have been a substantial help to make the building possible, and an endowment fund will assist with programming expenses.
The Firehouse also houses a gallery for the display of visual arts, and classrooms for instruction in painting, sculpture and other visual arts. Here Pleasanton youth and adults have a place to develop their talents and display their work. There are also displays by local adult artists, and exhibits of art by noted artists from around the world, to enrich the cultural life of our city.
The rebuilt Firehouse houses a small state-of-the-art theater. While the focus is on plays and dramatic presentations, the theater is also used for musical events, exhibitions and lectures. There is strong emphasis on productions involving young people, providing new opportunities for youth, not only for recreation, but for experience and training in dramatic arts. The facility stages productions of all kinds, involving many Pleasanton residents but also bringing in talent from far and wide, providing a rich fare of culture in downtown Pleasanton.
For more information, visit the Firehouse Arts Center website.