Since opening in the mid-1980s, the Segerstrom Center for the Arts (formerly the Orange County Performing Arts Center; renamed in January 2011) has presented Southern California with the finest mix of performances in music, theater and dance. It is Orange County’s largest non-profit arts organization and is home to three major resident companies: the Pacific Symphony, the Philharmonic Society of Orange County, and thePacific Chorale.
The original five acre site was donated in 1979 by the local Segerstrom family. Today, after a major expansion in 2003, the Center encompasses four separate performing venues, seating between 250 and 3,000 people, and includes a 46,000 square foot outdoor community plaza. In addition to a busy schedule of programs in a variety of the performing arts, the Center offers one of the most respected community arts education programs in the nation, catering to over 375,000 local students and educators each year.
Segerstrom Center for the Arts Information
- Venues: The Renee and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall, the Samueli Theater, Segerstrom Hall, and Founders Hall
- Public Transportation: Very Good (easily accessible by buses 51, 76, 86, 145, 172, 173, 211, 216, 464, and 794 at the South Coast Plaza, which is across the street from the Center)
- Parking: The Center Town parking structure is recommended for visitors to Segerstrom Hall and Founders Hall; the Plaza Tower parking structure is recommended for those attending performances at Segerstrom Concert Hall and the Samueli Theater
- Handicapped Accessibility: Good
- Performances/Programs: Companies in residence at the Center include the Pacific Symphony, the Philharmonic Society of Orange County, Opera Pacific, and Pacific Chorale
- Ticket Prices: Vary by program. Rush tickets are available to some performances for students and seniors. Discounts are also occasionally available for AAA members
- Group Discounts: Discounts available for groups of 15 or more
- Subscriptions: Broadway, Dance, Jazz Club, Cabaret, Concert, and Family series subscriptions are offered
- Membership: Center Access membership allows students, teachers, retired people, members of the armed forces, and clergy to get discounted tickets for select events (there is an annual $10 processing fee)
- Educational/Community Outreach: Educational initiatives at the Center include the Family series aimed at kids 4–8, free Masters at the Center classes, Summer at the Center workshop for at-risk high school students, the ArtsConnect residency program, and the comprehensive Arts Teach program (including family nights, residencies, professional development workshops, student workshops, school assemblies, and more). Free public tours are also available.
