Arts Education is so important. As a child, it shaped my view of the world, my view of life and I’ve never looked back.

— Bonnie Raitt, Contributor

SPACE is about sharing your community, your talents. Your own being. In a sense SPACE is about love – love for others.

— Aníbal Fragoso Castilleja, SPACE’s Latino Community Liaison

I have a BFA and an MFA in acting. That's over $100,000 and 7 years worth of training at some of the top institutions in the US. And yet, as a professional actor I find that I draw on my years as a student of SPACE just as much as I do on my professional training. At SPACE I learned to create and perform with an open heart and a respect for others; I developed a cultural awareness that broadened my world view; and I learned to look for and listen to the stories in history and in our daily lives that aren't always told but should be heard. SPACE was a formative experience for me as an artist but more importantly as a person and I know that the world would be a much better place if every child (and adult) had access to that kind of education. We should all be so lucky!

— Lucas Near-Verbrugghe, Alumni

SPACE students are exposed to a level of performing arts that is far more complex, engaging, and challenging than theater students, even in the New York school district. Unbeknownst to me, I was being exposed to performance and rhetorical methods most would call avant-garde; the puppetry skills really helped in my sold-out off-Broadway hit, Jollyship the Whiz-Bang (which featured puppets and rock & roll), and I was even able to teach a Public Theater Director a Plains Native American drumming song, including the song’s meaning and history, that I learned when I was eight years old at SPACE camp.

— Andrew Kircher, SPACE Alumni

Connections were made in those early days of SPACE and we became one of SPACE’s original Associated Groups. Since then, our children have danced all over Ukiah Valley and it is meaningful that we are coming back to make SPACE Theater our home base. Let the children dance!

— Juvenal Vasquez, director of Ballet Folklorico

I have watched this theater grow from its infancy - from back when converting the enormous space was but a dream, a fantastic vision. Now it is my honor to come home from my past year of work with some of Hollywood’s best, both here and overseas, to share the amazing reality of the SPACE Theater with the community that gave me my wings. Thank you to all of SPACE’s staff and supporters for making dreams come true and magic appear out of nowhere! We love you all!

— Ryan Johnson

My son attended SPACE camp from ages 8-12, danced in the all boys hip hop group and performed a Native American Plains Grass Dance almost every year in the Cultural Performance Projects. It is clear to me that the consistency of his participation in SPACE’s arts and leadership programs, prepared him for his current jobs, Youth Coordinator at Pinoleville Pomo Nation and Supervisor for Yokayo Rancheria’s Sedgebed Restoration Project.

— Christine Hamilton, Yokayo Rancheria Cultural Mentor, Pomo Basketmaker, SPACE Board Member, Guest Artist

I am fascinated that the songs that Ali Miller taught Breath over 10 years ago still hold such profound meaning today. It feels like a full circle that I can pass these songs of social justice to younger singers coming up through the ranks.

— Grace Magruder, SPACE Alumni, Guest Artist

I started going to the SPACE plays and you know they have a diversity of kids. They are Black, White, Mexican, Indian. And it seemed like every time I went to one of the SPACE plays, I’d walk out with dry tears on my cheek. It wasn’t tears of sadness; it was tears of joy because it was all kids doing the play. And they were telling the truth. And it felt so good to hear future generations telling the truth. And they weren’t denying nothing that has happened in the past to Native people, to Black people, to people of color and how this country was built.

— Clayton Duncan, Pomo Elder/SPACE Guest Artist

Since 1984, local dance teachers have been honored to have had the opportunity to work with the talented bay area professionals from Dance Brigade and Destiny Arts. And now-spirited teen dancers perform works from these sister-city choreographers in the new theater!

— Sandy Metzler, SPACE Master Teacher

Several years ago, I moved the Capoeira Program to SPACE because I wanted to be identified with this place, the people, the spirit and the philosophy.

— Amunka Davila, Mestre Capoeira Yokayo

As the professor of theater at Mendocino College, I observe every year that my most accomplished students have trained at SPACE, some of them since they were 2 years old! These students enter our college theater program not only with 16 years of experience performing, but with a sense of inner confidence, a respect for others and an ability to work cooperatively as a member of an ensemble. SPACE deserves much credit for the unusual quality of our community college program, for the SPACE Alumni in our program serve as role models for all of our students.

— Reid Edelman, Mendocino College, Associate Professor, Theater Arts

This program has helped me personally: It has helped me to work with my children. For example: my children didn’t know how to interact in the main stream program though my children are Mexican and we have a different set of value system, language and culture . . . I didn’t know what the program was about, it wasn’t until I attended a performance that I realized how many kids were participating in the event, making a really good use of their time . . . I have felt very comfortable to know that I can have access to SPACE program without know English, the application to register to the classes is in Spanish, the schedule of classes is in Spanish, the staff communicates with me in Spanish and they also include translations into Spanish in their plays and performances.

— Josefina Ayala, Parent

I highly recommend the School of Performing Arts & Cultural Education (SPACE), as an outstanding program serving young people and the community at large. Their camps and various other programs create an environment in which young people can learn how to work together, develop a healthy and strong emotional self-image and self-esteem. Another important aspect is that they begin with what a child brings, valuing their diversity and life experiences. They teach and model a sense of community and taking care of each other, respecting one another and supporting each other to reach their full potential. Their impact on the community is without question. They have provided services to diverse communities that otherwise couldn't afford their programs, which is admirable.

— Lee Mun Wah, Color of Fear Film maker, www.stirfryseminars.com