Our Mission
East Bay Center for the Performing Arts engages youth and young adults in imagining and creating new worlds for themselves and new visions for their communities through the inspiration and discipline of rigorous training in world performance traditions.

What We Believe
We, at East Bay Center for the Performing Arts, passionately believe in the power of art to create beauty and new ways of seeing the world. We believe in the ability of the performing arts to give voice to the silent, to unite peoples of diverse backgrounds, and to help realize the fullest potential of communities and the individuals who live in them. We affirm the importance of connecting the creative and uplifting powers of the arts with children and youth who in their daily lives must contend with systemic poverty, violence, and other barriers to peace, justice, and prosperity. We welcome all who find resonance with and are committed to these beliefs.

What We Do 
We offer diverse youth and young adults opportunities to grow and excel as learners, creators of art, and contributors to their communities. We provide broad and strategic community-based and public school performing arts access programs; rigorous individual and ensemble training; an intensive four-year, interdisciplinary diploma program; advanced internships; and commissions for new works of art. Our students, partners, and audiences deepen their experience and engagement with the life-affirming and community-building impact of music, theater, dance, and media-making from a critical selection of the world’s great cultures.

The Future We See 
We envision new generations of artist-leaders trained at the Center who are articulate, passionate, and effective at integrating art and positive social change. These young artists will be recognized for their unique perspective, creativity, and leadership, and they will be sought after by colleges, universities, and employers—including distinguished performance ensembles and production companies locally, nationally, and internationally. We see many of these young artists staying committed to Richmond, the Center, and giving back to their community. We see our model of artistic training and programming as well as our commitment to investing in the human potential of Richmond inspiring others to engage in diverse artistic explorations and to mine the riches of their own communities.

We see the Center, invigorated by its new building and resources, emerging as a cultural and civic hub and being recognized by a wider public for its contribution to a new and vibrant neighborhood atmosphere with thriving residents, businesses, and organizations that will spur a civic and economic revitalization of downtown Richmond.