This week, Governor Newsom signed California’s 2026-2027 state budget, which includes $12 million for the Performing Arts Equitable Payroll Fund (PAEPF). While that falls far short of the $40 million arts advocates have been encouraging lawmakers to invest, it remains an important commitment to California’s arts workforce and recognition that the performing arts are essential civic infrastructure. Thank you to everyone who called or wrote a letter of support to your local legislators to help get this initiative funded.
The arts are not separate from California’s future. They are integral to everything we do and everything we aspire to be. Without proper prioritization and investment, we lose more than just performances. We lose the opportunities to become better neighbors, better leaders, and better citizens.
And while government funding can help support the arts, it is never guaranteed and cannot be budgeted against. The reality is we rely on you, members of our local community, to participate in the performing arts as patrons, performers, donors, and volunteers.
I am proud to live in a place where the arts are valued and celebrated, and where they represent the best of humankind and challenge us to be better people. If you share that vision, I hope you’ll continue to be a part of it. Every ticket purchased, every hour volunteered, and every dollar donated helps ensure the arts remain part of our shared future.
Subscriptions and single tickets are now on sale for Season 64. Thank you for believing in what we do and for making live theatre possible.
— Michael Paul Hirsch, Executive Director
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