In order to realize our vision we must open Sunset Center to more varied performances, while helping our presenters and producers strengthen their audience base. Since reopening in 2003, following a $21.4 million renovation, Sunset Center has started to fulfill its promise.

Historically, the core strength of Sunset Center has been the five nonprofit, classical-music presenters (our Presenting Partners), who collectively offer more than fifty classical music events each year. For a city the size of Carmel-by-the-Sea this may be one of the strongest classical musical programs in the country! What's more, the revitalized Sunset Center has seen the return of the Monterey Jazz Festival to its birthplace, and is revitalizing its many-year tradition of well-rounded, live-performance events through Performance Carmel.

Sunset Center is attracting world-renowned artists to its stage, and the eclectic mix of music, dance, and entertainment events that we are able to offer is proof of this. In fact, in its first year Sunset Center opened for 103 nights of live performances and on another 67 days the theater was used for community events and rehearsals, which brought the total days of use to 170. Not a bad start — but it also means that the theater was dark more than 190 nights. We see this as a major opportunity for growth at Sunset Center.

70 More Performances in 7 Years

By 2010, Sunset Center plans to add 70 live performances — nearly a 70% increase — and have around 175 events on its calendar each year. That’s an ambitious goal, and we want to share with you our plan to make this goal a reality. And by the way, you will play a key role in making this happen — by becoming a Sunset Center Patron. As a registered Patron you'll have front-row seats for each stage of our growth at Sunset Center in the coming years.

Welcome to Our One-Stop Site for Upcoming Events

The first stage of our plan is this website. We invite you to explore it thoroughly, bookmark it, and return to it regularly. We pledge to keep this website always up-to-date. The site's centerpiece is an “evergreen” calendar, displaying all upcoming performances at Sunset Center. The calendar is interactive: you can find your choice of events by searching the calendar by category of performance-type, our Presenting Partner organizations, date, an artist's name, and many other options. It’s easy to use and the best way to learn what's happening at Sunset Center — today, tomorrow, and even six months or more into the future.

Once you have selected the performance you want to attend, you can order your tickets online – just hit the “Buy Tickets” button and complete the simple e-mail order form. Or call Sunset Center Ticket Services at 831-620-2048. Either way, we'll make certain that tickets for the best seats available are on their way to you by the next business day.

Stay Informed

Stage two of our plan is to help you stay informed about shows that interest you, and not bury you with information. We can do this if you become a Patron by registering on this Web site. In addition to your name and e-mail address, we'd like to know your personal preferences for live entertainment — we have more than twenty categories to choose from. If you tell us that you want to hear about upcoming jazz, blues and classical music, we'll make sure you do. If you like dance, but not theater, we'll let you know when dance is on the calendar. If rock music makes you dizzy, it’s not a category to check. In other words, by letting us know your idea of a good time, we’ll tell you when a good time is just around the corner — and do our level best not to waste your time.

If you have the time right now, click here to go directly to Become a Patron.

Influence Future Programming

Stage three of our plan is for us to seek out more performers, companies, and special attractions to perform at Sunset Center — all based on your input. Please be patient with us. Good things take time... We are going to need time to collect and understand your interests, and time to get some great, world-class performers on our calendar. You can expect to see a noticeable step up in the number, and variety, of performances at Sunset Center starting in 2006/07.

Plan a Last-Minute Trip to Sunset Center and Carmel-by-the Sea.

The last stage of our plan is unique. This spring, we are introducing an exciting new way for out-of-town visitors to enjoy live entertainment in the beautiful Sunset Center, locate wonderful overnight accommodations and get ideas for places to go for a pre-theater dinner.

Through the Experience Carmel calendar, you'll see up-to-date ticket availability for shows at Sunset Center and other selected cultural attractions in and around Carmel — all scheduled in the next 10 days. What's more, you can simplify your search for hotels and restaurants by browsing our lists of carefully selected lodging and fine dining establishments in the area. Experience Carmel is your one-click site to an exciting, convenient cultural experience in beautiful Carmel-by-the-Sea.

And if you happen to live in and around Carmel, what could be nicer than “dinner and a concert” with friends or out-of-town guests? What's more, the Experience Carmel page will keep you up-to-date on other cultural events at other Monterey Bay Area nonprofit organizations, such as the Center for Photographic Art at the Sunset Center and the Monterey Museum of Art. We are very excited about this program, and hope that you'll regularly enjoy events and Experience Carmel!!!

Feedback

All of this is our way of saying, welcome to this dynamic new stage in the history of Sunset Center . . .

Thank you for visiting this page and taking the time to read this far! We ask you to take the next step – become a Patron, and register to receive e-mail newsletters. Also, tell us what kind of live entertainment you want to see at Sunset Center. We look forward to seeing you at Sunset Center often in the coming years.

Please let us know how we're doing by sending us an e-mail at patronsvcs@sunsetcenter.org. Tell us if something is bothering you and, if the spirit moves you, praise our staff on what's happening at Sunset Center. Your feedback is important. Only with your help can we realize our vision — to make the Sunset Center the cultural heart of Carmel-by-the-Sea.

Please take the first step, and Become a Patron.