Susan Dunn Lobbies for Performance Space

Susan Dunn Lobbies for Performance Space

PERFORMANCE PHOTO BY BRYAN LEDGARD

The development director for Island City Opera says more venues for artists would make Alameda a better place.

I think Alameda is ready for more performing arts in general. I’ve been involved in many theaters in the Bay Area and as well as in play-reading and music-performing groups. I know people who are writing plays, poetry, music, that would welcome a chance to stage their work locally in front of an enthusiastic audience. However, renting theater and concert hall space is usually prohibitive, and most of us do not have homes large enough to provide this kind of arts access. I would like to see in Alameda—the Point?—a place for people to perform various kinds of productions or just readings, play music, which would be open to the public and affordable to both the public and the artists.

I think we would have much more participation and attendance for the arts if our citizens could sample different performances at no cost to the patron and the performing group. A park is the most obvious choice for this kind of small, casual space, which is great, but we need to be creative and find more indoor venues to feature the abundance of talent that surrounds us. Let’s welcome and make room for artists, please.