Pleasanton Cultural Arts Council Overview

The Pleasanton Cultural Arts Council (PCAC) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization incorporated in 1974 and is dedicated to encouraging and promoting an interest in and appreciation of all forms of art. PCAC supports the community in providing facilities for arts activities and in creating an environment where residents can pursue and enjoy a wide range of arts and cultural opportunities.

PCAC is actively involved with:

Fostering cooperation among artists, arts organizations and businesses in Pleasanton and the Tri-Valley area.

Advocating for new and better arts facilities.

Producing world-class music concerts.

Providing recognition, and outreach programs for young people in Pleasanton.

Nurturing arts in the schools by providing grant money.

PCAC welcomes donations of time, money and expertise in our quest to enrich our community through the arts. If you are interested in the arts in the Pleasanton area, become a member of PCAC, or let us know other ways you want to get involved! Contact us to let us know you are interested or to share your questions or comments.

Explore this site for information on PCAC events and activities, including our classical music concerts and Arts and Poetry Festival. Use this web site to obtain information about upcoming arts events by reviewing our Events Calendar.

Facilities for the Arts

Amador Theater photo At first facilities-oriented, PCAC actively supported and rallied community support for the construction of the Cultural Arts Building to house arts activities. 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.

Visit our Arts Facilities page for more information.

Pleasanton Arts Organizations &
Pleasanton Civic Arts Commission

In concert with many area funding organizations, businesses and individuals, PCAC traditionally supports a wide variety of artistic programs in the schools and the community at large. One of several arts efforts nurtured to maturity by PCAC is Pleasanton Playhouse which has presented musical theater to the Tri-Valley for more than a decade. The Pleasanton Civic Arts Commission originated in PCAC as the Art in Public Places Committee. The two entities continue to work together studying the needs for facilities, programs and public art installations.

Ongoing Activities

PCAC is involved with a number of ongoing programs that strive to nourish understanding and appreciation of the visual, literary, and performing arts among young people and among the Pleasanton area community.

Billy Collins, U.S. Poet Laureate 2006, handing out the awards at last year's event.

	"We want you to know what a great experience performing in Pleasanton was for us. The audience was extremely appreciative. We would love to be involved in future concerts."
	— Susan Freier Professor of Violin and Member of Ives Quartet, Stanford School of Music

Concerts

Concerts provide to the local community musical performances of the highest caliber by artists of international stature. Rooted in annual benefit piano concerts performed by acclaimed pianists Mark Anderson and Tamriko Siprashvili, the local demand for these productions, classical and contemporary, is ever growing. Visit our Special Events page for more information.

Arts in the Schools

Arts in the Schools is a PCAC program that nurtures understanding and appreciation of the visual, literary and performing arts among local young people kindergarten through high school. Well-established and flourishing, this PCAC program provides matching grants to schools, enabling students to experience professional demonstrations, performances and field trips which ordinarily would not be possible. Our goal is to ensure that artistic experiences and arts education are offered in our schools. Visit our Arts in the Schools Grants page for more information.

	"I really appreciated the grant I received from PCAC to take the 'Art Made Easy' water color class. It was the bright spot in my week."
	— Agnes Moen, Age 90 years

Scholarships & Grants

Scholarships & Grants nourish the aspirations of blossoming artists each year with monetary assistance to college students pursuing artistic studies and to students of all ages who need financial aid for arts classes and workshops. The Young Artist Individual Achievement Awards gives grants each year to aspiring Pleasanton artists. Visit the Young Artist Awards page for more information. Please visit our Contact Us page if you are interested in other grants or scholarships.

Recognition Awards

Recognition Awards, a growing PCAC endeavor, honors supporters and students of the arts. It is a way to thank people for their work on behalf of the arts in Pleasanton, and it seeks to encourage young artists to develop professional futures using their creative talents. Visit the Young Artist Awards page for information on our current youth awards program, and visit the Arts Supporter Awards page for information about past Art Supporters of the Year and information the annual Awards Banquet.

Are you on our mailing list to receive PCAC announcements? If not (or if your regular address or email address has changed), please visit our Contact Us page.