Sunset Center facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Sunset Cultural Center
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Sunset Center
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| Location | San Carlos St., Carmel-by-the-Sea, California U.S. |
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| Built | 1926 |
| Architect | John J. Donovan |
| Architectural style | Gothic Revival |
| NRHP reference No. | 97001604 |
| Added to NRHP | January 9, 1998 |
The Sunset Center is a special place in Carmel-by-the-Sea, California. It is a performing arts center where people enjoy concerts, comedy shows, plays, and dance. This building was once a school called the Sunset School. The city of Carmel bought it in 1965. They wanted to turn it into a cultural center for everyone. The Sunset Center is also home to the Carmel Bach Festival. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places on January 9, 1998.
Contents
History of Sunset Center
From School to Arts Hub
The Sunset School started in 1903. It was a public school with only seven students. They first met in a home in Carmel-by-the-Sea. The school moved a few times. In 1906, the first Sunset School building was constructed. It was located at 9th Avenue and San Carlos Street.
The architect John J. Donovan designed the school. It was built in a style called Gothic Revival. The first building had only two rooms. A third room was added before 1915. Part of the old school property is now used for public parking.
In 1929, two more classrooms were built. M. J. Murphy designed and built them. These classrooms were on the northwest corner of Mission Street and 10th Avenue. Today, these rooms are used as offices and classrooms for adults.
Building the Auditorium
The school district bought more land in the area. In 1931, a large auditorium was built for the growing school. This auditorium had 718 seats. Sometimes, other groups used this space for events. The Carmel Bach Festival was one of these groups.
The auditorium has a steep, pointed roof. Architect Columbus J. Ryland designed it. M. J. Murphy also helped build this part of the school.
Becoming a Cultural Center
By April 1964, the Sunset School District needed to make big repairs. The building needed updates to be safe from earthquakes. Also, there wasn't enough space to expand the school. So, the school district decided to sell the building.
The City of Carmel bought the school for $550,000. This happened in 1965 after people voted for it. Most people wanted the city to turn the school into a performing arts center. The vote was 1,330 in favor and 169 against.
Managing the Center
The Cultural Commission of Carmel City Council looked after the new center. In 1966, the photographer Cole Weston became its first director. He had actually gone to the Sunset School as a student. Dorothy Bowman took over in 1969. Frank Riley became director in 1970.
Riley noted that changing the old school into an arts center was hard. He said it was "designed as a 1920 schoolhouse, not as a center of the arts." Richard Tyler and Brian Donoghue followed as directors. The money borrowed to buy the center was fully paid off in 1989. The center was officially listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1998.
Modern Updates
The theater was updated from September 2001 to July 2002. This project cost a lot of money. The City of Carmel paid $9 million. Private people and groups donated another $13 million.
In 2003, a special sound system called LARES was added. Before this, the auditorium's design made it hard for performers to hear themselves. The LARES system helped make the sound louder for performers. It cost about $300,000.
In October 2002, the city of Carmel created a non-profit group. This group now runs the Sunset Center. Tom Bacchetti was the first temporary director. Christine Sandin became the executive director in 2011.
Current Activities
Today, the Sunset Center is home to many groups. These include the Carmel Adult School Pottery Studio and the Center for Photographic Art. The Forest Theater Guild and the Yoga Center of Carmel are also there.
The center also works with other performing arts groups. These include the Monterey Symphony, the Carmel Music Society, and Chamber Music Monterey Bay. The Carmel Bach Festival continues to be a main partner. From 2017 to 2022, the Sunset Center also managed the nearby Forest Theater.
Notable Recordings
Some concerts performed at the Sunset Center have been recorded. These recordings were made available to the public. Some of them date back to when the building was still a school.
- Concert by the Sea, 1956, by Erroll Garner
- Concert by the Sea, 1959, by Cal Tjader Sextet – This recording includes an early version of "Afro Blue" by Mongo Santamaría.
Images for kids
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Sunset Center building and outside patio
