Cambria Center for the Arts Hosts “Summer Open”

June 11 to Celebrate Its Grand Re-opening and Local Arts

Bringing a festival of arts to the pines by the sea, the Cambria Center for the Arts will host Summer Open—a special fundraising event celebrating creativity and inspiration on Saturday, June 11, from noon to 4:30. The afternoon features food, wine, art, film, comedy, music, and more. Regular ticket prices for the gala are $65, and $50 for members of the Center.

Every part of the Center will be open to highlight the various arts that comprise the Center’s mission. In the parking lot behind the center, under hospitality tents, the Center will serve paella, salad, and bread, as well as wine furnished by Daou Family Estates and other local wineries. There will also be live music. The main theater will host a series of free lectures on various art and film topics. The special Gallery Theatre will screen a number of local films. The main gallery will present its ongoing show Entanglements; additional art and special demos will be available throughout the center. 

For one ticket, guests will receive an initial glass of wine, a serving of paella, a complimentary raffle ticket, and access to any or all of the lectures and films offered during the event, as space permits.

Summer Open marks the official re-opening of the Center as all of its activities once again occur in person. In addition, this day is the first chance for the public to see the many improvements and updates made to the Center during the Covid close-down as part of the Center’s Staging the Future campaign. This includes new lighting, sound, and technical decks in its theater space; updated lighting, repainting, and new furniture in the gallery; the creation of a new Studio space; a refurbished adaptable classroom; and the introduction of new community and youth programs.

Speakers currently committed to the afternoon’s program include local artist Art Sherwyn talking about unique pathways to making art, Cambria Film Festival founder Alan Fraser taking a dive behind the curtain to look at some famous movie scenes, and Disney historian and author Robert Tieman recounting some of the zanier moments in early film marketing. Holly McCain and Cindy Stiles will be local artists demonstrating painting techniques.

The Cambria Center for the Arts was formed in 1947 under the name of Allied Arts. Since its founding, it has grown to include a live theater branch that offers multiple productions each year and a film branch that stages the international Cambria Film Festival each February. This year, thanks to a recent large donation, the Center recently introduced new art programs for local students. 

All proceeds from Summer Open will benefit the Center, which is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization. The Center is located at 1350 Main Street, Cambria.

For more information about the event or to purchase tickets, go to CambriaArts.org.