Join us January 27th from 5:00 to 7:30 PM to celebrate the Sonoma Community Center’s 70th birthday! The gallery exhibit runs January 27th through April 30th.
Located in the Causeway Gallery, upstairs in the hallway.
Free admission, optional donations accepted.
Since March 1952, the Center’s been bringing opportunities for creativity, community, and connection to the Sonoma Valley – and we’re celebrating this milestone (read about our history here) in all kinds of ways.
In summer 2022, we launched a new brand to take us into the next 70 years. Starting this Fall, we’ll be organizing a series of celebratory community service projects.
“That 70th Show”
Birthday History Exhibition & Community Interactive Wall
Curated by historian Mike Acker, this exhibit will open in late January. Using images donated by the Sonoma Valley Historical Society and gathered mementos and video testimonials from artists, members, staff, and community members, the show represents a shared and truly crowd-sourced telling of the Center’s 70-year history. The exhibition will also feature an interactive community wall, inviting all of our visitors to add their anecdotes, photos, drawings, and thoughts to the Center’s story. If you are interested in sharing your photos, event posters, stories, or mementos from any time in the Center’s history for possible inclusion in the exhibit, please email Molly Spencer.
How you can get involved
This celebration is all about community! There are lots of ways to join the festivities. You can participate in one of our community service projects (see below), contribute stories or photos to the commemorative exhibition, make a donation, and more. Contact us by email for more information or to tell us how you’d like to participate!
Current & Upcoming Activities
Ballet Shoe Donation Project
So many little ones dream of dancing – but signing up for classes is only one step towards realizing their dream; another important one is finding the right footwear. Dancers need proper footwear to move around safely in the studio, but dance shoes can be expensive. So much so that it keeps some kids from being able to dance. The Community Center plans to provide 70 pairs of appropriate footwear to kids who sign up for dance class at the Sonoma Community Center. Canvas and leather ballet slippers, jazz shoes, and grippy socks: we’ll provide options for all genders and ages 3 to 12 for all dance classes starting in September 2022 and continuing as long as we have supply.
These shoes will also become the seeds of a sustainable shoe recycling program for returning dance participants: as they outgrow their footwear, they can bring their pair back to the Center for a younger child to take home, and themselves pick out a larger set returned by an older child. Most dance shoes cost between $13 and $30 per pair, so your contribution, no matter how large or small, can help young dancers feel comfortable and move safely.
If you’d like to contribute, please reach out to us at (707) 938-4626, or make a donation via Venmo: you can find us @sonomacommunitycenter
Sonoma Community Center would also like to thank Lynn Martin and Bobbie Collins for their generous donations to continue this program.
Past Activities
SOS Volunteering
In gratitude to the vital work that Sonoma Overnight Support does for our
unhoused community members, we invite our members and supporters to join
us to donate a total of 70 volunteer hours to SOS’s weekly food distribution.
Please join us! You can sign up for a variety of shifts and jobs here. Your volunteer hours are a great way to support the Community Center and SOS at the same time, all while providing essential services for our unhoused neighbors!
Wreath-Making Party with Sonoma Valley Mentoring Alliance
4th of July parade and rebranding launch
On the 4th of July, the Center launched its new look and feel with a sweet birthday-themed float in the City’s annual parade. We’re proud to have won the Best in Show award!
