An Update from the Center for the Arts
Dear friends,
After 15 months of creating, recreating, pivoting, waiting, listening, sighing, researching, testing, and persevering, it is my pleasure to share with you that we are now preparing to welcome you back to the Lisa Smith Wengler Center for the Arts at Pepperdine. We can't wait!
I am humbled at how you—our loyal subscribers, donors, and patrons—have stood by us in the last 15 months. So many of you donated your tickets, continued your annual financial contributions, watched our virtual programming, offered up words of encouragement, and in many other ways were there for us. I am incredibly grateful for you and your continued generosity and support.
I am so proud of what we have accomplished in the last 15 months, but there are certain moments that just are not the same on a computer screen. When you sing while standing next to other audience members and you realize you are inside the harmony. When a dancer or acrobat twirls or leaps and you feel your heart skip a beat and then soar. When you see musicians move their fingers in a way that seems otherworldly, and you smile in sheer wonder at the combination of talent and a lifetime of hard work, practice, and dedication.
We have been waiting for, working towards, praying about, and dreaming of this moment.
We will announce our 2021–2022 season on Monday, August 23. We will be presenting many incredible artists, including numerous returning favorites and several new-to-Pepperdine artists.
In all of our planning, we are keeping your safety and the safety of our performers as our top priority. I'm sure you have questions on the details. We will share our safety protocol with you as soon as possible. In the meantime, please feel free to contact us with your thoughts by calling us at 310.506.4522 or emailing us at cfabox@pepperdine.edu.
While we are excited to resume live performances, we know you may feel some anxiety and uncertainty about rejoining us in person. This is why we are updating our exchange and cancellation policy so when the time comes you can purchase your tickets with confidence, knowing that if your plans or circumstances change we will exchange your tickets.
We have learned a lot in the last 15 months, and plan to keep several aspects of our virtual programming that particularly resonated with our audiences. The Centered on the Arts podcast is here to stay. We also plan on offering several virtual performances for schools next season in our ARTSReach program.
Our reopening begins this summer with a phased reopening of the Weisman Museum of Art for our On Location in Malibu 2021 exhibition (subscribers and donors, check your email for details). We encourage you to join us and view this exhibition of beautiful paintings by the California Art Club. It's a wonderful way to welcome you back to campus.
Many, many more details to come. For now, please know we are working diligently on our plans for reopening. We have missed you. We can't wait to welcome you back!
Sincerely,
Rebecca Carson
Managing Director