Pioneer Center 2024 Season

Organization and Facility

Pioneer Center for the Performing Arts is the premier performing arts facility in northern Nevada, operating continuously since opening for business in 1968. Located in the heart of downtown Reno, we are a private 501(c)(3) cultural organization that both owns and operates our 55,000 square foot facility. Our venue houses a 1,500-seat mainstage proscenium auditorium, the 150-seat Pioneer Underground cabaret-theater, and the E.L. Cord Plaza which is also used for outdoor events and performances. The facility is listed on the National, Nevada State, and City of Reno Registers of Historic Places. We are a member of the League of Historic American Theatres.

Our Mission

To cultivate exceptional performing arts experiences in our historic venue and throughout the region

Our Vision

A community that is connected, enriched, and inspired through the power of live performance

Our Values

• We are all stronger together. As the region’s leading performing arts center, we maximize our impact by fostering collaboration with other arts organizations and actively practicing the power of partnership.
• The arts are for everyone. We are dedicated to presenting a broad range of high-quality programming that reflects and celebrates the diversity of the human experience. We strive to provide arts access in an environment where all people feel respected and welcome.
• Education is fundamental to a thriving community. The arts strengthen educational outcomes and inspire creative, compassionate citizens. We are committed to facilitating and providing dynamic arts education opportunities.
• We are stewards of a cultural treasure. We honor our responsibility to the community and to future generations by adhering to the highest standards of integrity and sustainability in the preservation of our historic building and in our business practices.

Meeting Community Needs

The Pioneer Center hosts multiple productions each season by our three local resident companies: Reno Philharmonic Orchestra, A.V.A. Ballet Theatre, and Artown; as well as a variety of arts programs ranging from local student recitals to acclaimed international tours. Since 1995, we have presented the Broadway Comes to Reno series, bringing national tours of Broadway shows directly to our community. On average, the Pioneer Center hosts over 100 events and serves over 100,000 patrons each year.

Building Future Audiences and Artists

The Pioneer Center’s Education Department aims to provide unique, inspirational activities and events for youth across our region. Broadway Behind the Curtain events and workshops allow students to experience Broadway tours behind the scenes through talk backs, load-in observations, workshops, and more with touring professionals. Our flagship educational outreach program, Pioneer Center Youth Programs [PCYP], brings professional interdisciplinary performers to elementary schools, public libraries, and community centers across 8 northern Nevada counties. Our PCYP Family Series provides free performances by a variety of touring artists in the Pioneer Underground cabaret-theater. Over five decades, PCYP has served more than one million children.

The Pioneer Center is a Proud Member of:

Americans for the Arts
The Broadway League
Historic Reno Preservation Society
League of Historic American Theatres
Riverwalk Merchants Association


All donations to the Pioneer Center are tax-deductible.  Tax ID 88-0239029

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