Vista Del Mar Child and Family Services has opened the Glorya Kaufman Performing Arts Center (GKPAC), a multi-use, award-winning, 299-seat theatre where local and national performers will display their artistry with diverse audiences and Vista students. The theatre is also available for performance, rehearsal and event space rentals including private events and film productions.
According to Visa Del Mar officials, GKPAC was designed to welcome neighbors to campus, amplifying Vista’s mission to empower and engage with regional youth and multi-generational families. The new venue will accommodate dance, music, teaching, learning, and theatrical productions and celebrate the enduring power of the arts to console, heal, create community and uplift lives. It is dedicated to developing dynamic new works and artists, thereby cultivating meaningful conversations and life-affirming transformations.
In addition, the Center will be the home of a new Therapeutic Dance Program and corresponding on-site rehearsal studio spaces, worthy of professional-level movement education.
Vista President and CEO Lena Wilson, J.D. expressed deep gratitude to Glorya Kaufman, whose gifts enable Vista’s children to “fully express themselves, to find freedom, fortitude, voice and liberation, and to be nourished by the excitement, discovery and collaborative experience of live theater.” Wilson continued: “The Center will be the heartbeat of our inclusive, innovative, therapeutic Arts Enrichment programs, reflecting our robust culture built on Vista Values of Empowerment, Equity and Excellence. Each room and the tranquil landscaping around the building itself, provides a place for spirits to soar, hearts to heal, and joyful memories to be made.”
“Glorya Kaufman’s vision for the project was always crystal clear. She was deeply involved, working closely with the Vista Del Mar Child and Family Services’ Premiere Philanthropy Initiative,” Craig Prizant, Vista Chief Development and Marketing Officer, said. “Glorya is a remarkable woman with a rare generosity of spirit. When you walk into the vibrant, light-fueled space she imagined and brought to fruition, you immediately feel her grace, strength and artful presence.
“Vista Temple’s beloved 56-year-old-stained glass windows adorn the transformed walls, honoring our history and recognizing the blessing it is to be of service to those in need. Creative expression, imagination, and children’s futures will forever grow and thrive here. We are boundlessly thankful that she made all this possible now and for generations to come,” Prizant added.
“Dance is the one thing that always made me feel beautiful. I want to share that sustaining and nourishing feeling with Vista’s cherished children,” Glorya Kaufman said.
In December, GKPAC, designed by AUX Architecture, received a 2020 AIA (American Institute of Architects) Design Award and was named People’s Choice Winner during the virtual awards gala. “This building is designed as a series of vignettes that express music and dance,” said Brian Wickersham, Founding Partner and Design Director. AUX is dedicated to the thorough investigation of functionality, spatial qualities, and materiality in the built environment. “In addition to the kids and families in the community who will benefit from the Center and the cutting-edge programming presented on stage, some of the primary benefactors are children with Autism and learning challenges. It was a priority to Vista leadership and Glorya that space on-site was created to be both inspiring and comforting with a color palette of light tones, high acoustical performance, and flexible rooms to explore creative learning models.”
Additional information about the Performing Arts Center can be obtained at: https://www.vistadelmar.org/glorya-kaufman-performing-arts-center/.
