Siesta Valley Bowl opened Friday in Orinda with Jonathan Richman, new stadium seating and an early slate of touring acts. The former Cal Shakes site returns with a 2026 season.

After six decades, Contra Costa Ballet Centre is closing its Walnut Creek studio; Aaron and Kristin Orza are poised to take over and continue training.

Berkeley’s Bay Area Book Festival runs May 29–31 with 350+ authors, dozens of stages and a free Bookworm Block Party. Evening headliners at The Freight are ticketed.

Alvin Ailey lands at UC Berkeley April 7–12 with seven Bay Area premieres, a Jamison revival and repertory favorites.

The Grammy-winning Oakland native visited her alma mater over the weekend and performed "Folded" for students and neighbors during a community celebration.

Boots Riley’s I Love Boosters will have a West Coast premiere at SFFILM on April 28 with two screenings at Oakland’s Grand Lake Theatre.

An ambitious regional triennial titled "Around Here" will link 80+ Bay Area arts organizations in March–June 2027. Expect a mobile hub, weekend 'Spotlight' programs and a new grant fund.

A.I.M. by Kyle Abraham makes its Cal Performances debut at Zellerbach Hall with three works danced to live jazz, including the Bay Area premiere of 2x4.

Oakland's landmark Henry J. Kaiser Center for the Arts reopens this weekend with a free festival and ticketed shows, returning a major stage to the city after years dark.

David Sedaris will perform at Berkeley Rep, reading unpublished essays from his upcoming collection "THE LAND AND ITS PEOPLE." The shows run from January 3-11, with different content nightly, a Q&A, and a book signing.

Jimmy Smits and Wanda De Jesús will headline Berkeley Rep’s reimagined All My Sons, running Feb. 20–Mar. 29, 2026.

The East Bay's Bruns Amphitheater is set to reopen as Siesta Valley Bowl in April 2026, under a 15-year lease with EBMUD, featuring arts, ecology, and a capacity of up to 750 guests.

A Ghost Ship survivor debuts a new symphony next Saturday in Oakland. The project pairs remembrance with artist grants and a new Bay Area artist census.