CapStage Expands to E. Claire Raley Studios

Capital Stage announces the expansion of its administrative, rehearsal and educational spaces to the E. Claire Raley Studios for the Performing Arts in Midtown Sacramento. As a tenant at The Studios Capital Stage looks forward to accommodating its growing needs while maintaining the 2215 J Street theatre as its primary performance space. Starting Winter 2016, Capital Stage will have the privilege of interacting with and contributing to a vibrant arts campus in the heart of Midtown Sacramento.

E. Claire Raley Studios for the Performing Arts will be a premier cultural amenity for Sacramento, providing a place for creative collisions between both professional and community-based arts groups. This unique and groundbreaking space will provide studios for art groups, event space and a gathering place for neighbors and artists alike.

The Studios is a financially self-sustaining arts and education development among the City of Sacramento, Sacramento City Unified School District, and The Studios for the Performing Arts Operating Company, a 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation that will oversee the development and operation of the project. Along with providing a collaborative art space for a variety of art tenants such as the Brazillian Center, Sacramento Children's Chorus, Capital Stage, the McKeever School of Irish Dance, and Alliance Francaise, The Studios will also serve as the permanent home for the Sacramento Ballet and its growing ballet school.

The Studios are located at 2420 N Street, Sacramento 95816 on a full 2.5 acre City block in the heart of midtown at the previously vacant 47,000 square foot Fremont Adult School.
raleystudios.org

The Studios project includes the District leasing the 2.5-acre site and building for a period of 40 years to the City of Sacramento for $1. The City has subleased the site and building to the Operating Company, with $1.5 million dollars having already been donated from some of the leading regional art philanthropists. The City voted on March 17, 2015 to contribute the final $5 million dollars to complete the project.

The non-profit Operating Company has a diverse and dynamic board of directors that will be responsible for overseeing development and vision: Ali Yousefi (CFY Development and Kings owner), Allison Cagley (Director of Development at CMT), The Executive Director of the Sacramento Ballet, Chris Seward (Director of SRPAA), Clay Nutting (owner of LowBrau, ButcherBlock and the TBD Festival), Elizabeth Baidoo (Marketing Operations Manager for VSP Global), Erika Bjork (VP of Marketing for Sacramento Republic FC), Jason Jong (Arts Program Specialist for California Arts Council), Jeff Dorso (Managing Partner of Pioneer Law Group, LLP), Jon Stevenson (Founder of Trumpette and Crocker Art Museum Trustee), Nancy Garton (Principal at Garton Associates), Richard Rich (Principal at Mosaic Partners, LLC), Richard Lewis (Executive Producer of CMT), and Shirley Tully (Chief Marketing Officer at the Sacramento Region Community Foundation).

Permanent and Sustainable Arts Home: Provides a self-sustaining arts collaborative that brings together a tenant mix of Sacramento's performing and visual arts groups, and cultural and educational organizations into one place to share studio, office, support and classroom space. For tenants, it provides economic benefits through economies of scale, below market rents, and the ability to earn revenue through studio performances.

Arts Education: Provides an innovative education opportunity to provide students and educators access to art through annual scholarships, career internships, summer work programs, and to attend free live performances, while also interacting with artists, executives, managers and technicians.

Urban and Historic Redevelopment: Preserves and revitalizes a midtown neighborhood through adaptive reuse of the historic Fremont School building with a vibrant mix of performers and students.