Peninsula Lively Arts (PLA) and their anchor organization, Peninsula Ballet Theatre (PBT) announced their plans to close in June on Friday, March 13. PLA and PBT have been in service for almost 59 years, and their Board of Directors made the decision on Feb. 12 to head toward closure. They plan to complete productions and rehearsals by June 7 and dissolve all operations by June 30 due to unsustainable costs and nearby redevelopment.
The Board and executive leadership team have been evaluating the sustainability of the organization throughout the last year, finding rising costs of operations and insufficient fundraising support. Additionally, the strip mall in which the organization is located is scheduled to undergo redevelopment next year.
The organization, founded in 1967, has survived through tuition and ticket sales, operating as a non-profit dance company. As the second longest-running ballet company in the Bay Area, PBT is known for performances like the Nutcracker and the Hip-Hop Nutcracker.
Despite hoping they could move locations or redevelop, they concluded that it would be too difficult in today’s real estate market. Their current location is 34,000 square feet, which is necessary for their rehearsals and storage. Scaling down would be difficult, and similarly sized facilities are rare and costly.
“Even a scaled-down facility would still require specialized studio space and long-term lease commitments that are difficult to secure and sustain in today’s Peninsula real estate market,” PLA Media Relations Director Joe Arellano said.
The owner of the plaza, Brookfield Properties, has stayed communicative throughout the process.
“Brookfield was aware of the situation and offered guidance as we looked at potential options and locations. Ultimately, however, the challenge wasn’t just identifying space, it was whether there was a realistic path forward for the organization, given our financial limitations and the broader realities facing arts nonprofits today,” Arellano said.
PLA clarified that even if they were to receive a major donation, this would only be supportive in the short term, while they are looking at the long-term sustainability of the organization.
“PLA has always been about community. For nearly 60 years, it’s been a place where artists young and old discovered their passion, built confidence, developed their craft, and formed lasting friendships,” Arellano said. “What will be missed most is that sense of shared experience.”
The organization plans to continue running as usual through June, until all scheduled rehearsals and performances have been completed. “After that, the organization will begin its formal wind-down. Students will continue their training at other programs, and teachers and performers will carry their work forward in new places, but the artistic foundation and community built at PLA will remain part of their lives,” Arellano said.
Updates can be found on PLA’s website and through their newsletter.
