Cerritos College formally celebrated the Performing Arts Center groundbreaking on March 6, 2019. Those in attendance included students, teachers, and staff, board members as well as representatives of State Assembly Members. Dr. Gary Pritchard, Instructional Dean of Fine Arts/Music at the College, said “This groundbreaking marks a milestone in performing arts education…Today we take a step forward in programming concerts, recitals, plays and events that will activate our campus life and draw the community into the heart of the college’s mission.”

The new 77,000 square foot facility will provide the music and theater departments with spaces for instruction and performance and will facilitate collaboration between the college and the surrounding community. It will serve to enhance the college’s mission to support and enrich the arts on campus, in the city of Norwalk, and the region. The new Performing Arts Center is targeting LEED Certification and includes the following elements:

•          400-seat theater
•          150-steat black box theater
•          100-seat lecture hall
•          outdoor amphitheater
•          multi-level lobby

Dr. Pritchard stated, “Their (Tilden-Coil and Pfeiffer Partners) professionalism and thoughtfulness, made for a very collaborative user experience in programming and designing our performing arts center.”

In collaboration with Pfeiffer Partners Architects and Cerritos Community College District, this new state-of-the-art facility funded by the Measure G Bond is scheduled to open in 2021. Dr. Jose Fierro, President of Cerritos Community College District said, “I cannot wait to experience the next chapter of performances in our new facility. When it is complete the Performing Arts Center will feature fantastic instructional spaces and this state-of-the-art venue that will allow Cerritos College to push the boundaries of performance, music, and art.”