I'm struggling to give the venue 3 stars, but the exquisite sound system and professional stage notches it from a 0 to a 3. I bet performers love it for the above. As a patron, it ranks ZERO on my scale of go-back. In all my years of attending concerts, plays, and films in new and old theatres all over the US and parts of the UK (I'm 81, been doing this a while), I've never encountered such uncomfortable seating. My guess is that whoever decided on the house seating was so fixated on creating a multi-purpose facility that they threw comfort and class right under the bus. The floor level seats are apparently all on a track that is not even bolted to the floor. When one person in a row moves in their seat or starts tapping a leg *hopefully* in time to the music, the entire rest of the row feels it. If it's the person next to you, it's maddening. The seats themselves are excruciatingly uncomfortable. The tiered seating at the back of the auditorium is even more uncomfortable *AND* the noise and shuddering of the structure when anyone climbs or descends the stairs is distracting and jarring. I've been there twice now, and no more. I'll have to pick artist dates that aren't at that theatre. UGH. read more

VERY uncomfortable venue. We will not be returning, which is a shame because they seem to attract really good talent. We've been twice. The first time, there was no air moving through the theater at all. It was hot and stuffy. Our entire row of seats rocked and shook throughout the concert because it wasn't secured properly and people were bopping/jumping to the music, jolting the seats (I don't fault them for moving as the music was great -- but the seats shouldn't jolt like that). In fact, any movement (people adjusting their position) rocked the whole row. Since I have a bad back, this was extremely uncomfortable and I was sore for days. Had we not already purchased tickets for another concert I would have never returned.... But we did have tickets for another performance and we recently returned with the hopes that our experience would be better. It was still hot and stuffy with no air movement and the whole (different) row of seats jolted with every movement. It's a cute old theater with lovely acoustics. Staff is very nice. But we won't be back. read more

Great sound system! All seats have a clear view of the stages. A variety of talented artists perform here, something for everyone. At the entrance, the art gallery exhibits very accomplished local artists read more

Love the shows we have seen at Center for the Arts ! We would really love more bands like Forejour. An Eagles band, like Midnight Flyer, or something country. Thank you! read more

Great venue for watching an intimate concert. The volunteers were pleasant and helpful, the drinks are kind of expensive and small, but similar to Most entertainment venues. There was two sections for our concert, general seating and general standing. So stand and listen or first come first serve sit and listen. We went about six rows up so none of the people standing would block our view and had a perfect view of the artists the whole time. Great intimate venue in a cute little town! read more

Center for the Arts - Performing Arts Near Me - Grass Valley, California

See all

Tom Papa show was hilarious and the venue is super comfortable. Seating is not crammed together. There was actual leg room! The ushers were friendly and helpful. Parking is an issue but we came into town early for dinner so we found a perfect spot on the Main St. We will return here for shows. read more

We went with another couple to go see a band. Parking is not easy but if you can walk multiple blocks you can find something. They had a concession area with drinks, alcoholic beverages and snacks. The seats were very nice and we could see and hear the band so close up. We really enjoyed this venue and look forward to going again. read more

Their customer service is non-existent. I called them several times to cancel or reschedule due to a blizzard that prevented me from attending an event. I called several times but no one ever answered the phone. I left two voicemail messages but no one ever called me back. I will NEVER set foot in the Center for the Arts again. NEVER read more

A venue for the rich, and the rich only. HIGH TICKET PRICES keep economically challenged (ie:regular people) fans from seeing the performers you bring to town. Booo! read more

My wife and I thoroughly enjoyed a Wonderful evening with the great Kevin Nealon! The center for the Arts was the perfect venue to showcase his sharp, wicked, sardonic wit! read more

How lucky is Grass Valley to have this beautiful facility. I believe you can weigh a communities values when you see how they support the arts! We attended a musical performance here, and it was very special. Comfortable seating. Not a bad seat in the house. Volunteer staff is very polite and assist in any way possible. Wine, coffee, beer, soft drinks available at concession area. Definitely add this location to your next visit. Dim the lights, the performance will now begin. read more

Great music acts, but the worst venue. Seating is horrible and expensive, and the staff care less about patrons. Center for the Arts is off my list of future music venues. read more

Great venue, easy in and easy out. Really enjoyed it and will most likely be there again!

I would give them ZERO stars if I could. I live on the other side of the Sierras in Reno. I was unable to attend a concert because a snow storm made the drive over to Grass Valley and back extremely dangerous. I called them FOUR TIMES during the course of the day, beginning at noon when they say their box office opens. No one ever answered the phone so I left multiple messages explaining the situation and requesting a call back. I never got a call back. I normally attend several events there each year but I will NEVER give them another cent of my money and you shouldn't either. These are NOT honest people and their customer service is non-existant. read more

What a sweet little venue! We had a great time. DakhaBrakha was amazing there. Perfect night.

Great place to come see a show; especially since they get a lot of popular acts (well, popular for someone like me that likes old bluegrass, jam bands, etc.) The entry area is usually not very crowded and a comfortable place to take a quick break. Beware: depending upon the act, they are more, or less strict about smoking, etc. Hopefully it's an act that pulls some weight, so the mgt. here doesn't go full-on strict. Part of the problem is that there are lots of "regulars" here for everything that happens; well, that's not a problem but most of the regulars (familiar faces each time) seem to be complaining and\or getting a little too rowdy for the small space ... One of those places that has, or more less levity depending upon the act and how irie (versus drunk) the local regulars are going to be ... Attracts obnoxious people from other towns, but most are locals. read more

Center for the Arts - Center for the Arts - Grass Valley, CA - Performing Arts Near Me - Grass Valley, California

The Center is an integral part of the Grass Valley and greater Sierra Foothills community. Through many trials they have persevered to keep the arts alive here in Nevada County. We are truly blessed to have this resource in Gold Country. The new theatre is absolutely gorgeous, and I look forward to attending many shows and gallery events post-COVID. read more

First time here and fell in love. The fact they only take cash does not sway me from my 5 star rating. What I mean by that, cash inside for food and beverage. You can easily buy tickets online with credit card. I see a 1 star rating in the reviews and I went to the reviewers page.....he has written 34 reviews and 22 of them are 1 star reviews. Yelp should remove him and his reviews. This place is not deserving of even 1 one star review. My wife and myself went to see Marc Broussard play the other night. Like I said, we had never been here before. Park in the normal parking lot behind the businesses on Main Street. Literally a 1 minute walk to the venue. This place relies on bringing in QUALITY artists and from looking at the ones we have missed.....I SIGNED UP! Incredible array of talent going on stage at this place. Venue holds 300 max. Comfortable movie theater style seating. I could not believe the intimacy of it and how close and personal you are with the artists. I have been going to shows for 35 years and have conservatively been to 1000 shows minimum. I worked Bill Graham, built stages, roomed with opening acts as well as headliners, etc. This venue and company kicks buttocks. Going to see Lukas Nelson and The Promise Of The Real tomorrow night for 22 bucks. WTH??? Yup.....22 bucks. Add this venue to your Facebook or get on email list. Better yet....join them and save $10 bucks per ticket. Wynton Marsallis is playing in March with his big band. Did you hear that? Wynton Marsallis. This company also runs the larger venue for capacity of a shows like Wynton. Tix only $68 bucks each. In a nutshell.....if you hear of someone playing the Center For The Arts in Grass Valley.......you better go. Marc Broussard finished the other night without his trio, no microphone and no instruments. Straight American Idol style 10 feet from me. Bad ass read more

This is a great venue run by a non-profit that continually brings in artists that you might not expect from a smaller town like Grass Valley. I came here to see Magic Giant after seeing them perform at WorldFest. The show was sold out and the place was rockin'. Everyone had a great time. The staff are friendly and helpful. There was a bar open at both ends which was a nice bonus. I did have some difficulty with purchasing group tickets, but the confusion was worked out in the end. I would definitely encourage you to check this place out and if you're a local then I would encourage you to support their efforts by becoming a member. read more

Center on the go has exceeded my expectations! I was for-sure worried that during the rebuild of the center, we might lose out on some of the awesome talent that CFTA brings to our sweet little town (that is not so little anymore), but NO they are still rocking the house! Maybe even more so. Worldfest was also absolutely awesome this year. Props to the CFTA for keeping the art, music & performances going while also doing a major reconstruction. I can't wait for the center to re-open and see the magic that the new venue brings. Thanks CFTA peeps!! read more

This is a superb center with a large stage and slightly tiered seating, and there is space between seats and stage to get up and dance. The sounds carries well. It's clean, simple and easy. read more

A great venue for all kinds of performances. There is good visibility and acoustics throughout the seating area. I've seen live music, dance, and films here. Be sure to reserve a few minutes to check out the fabulous art they always have adorning their walls. FYI: There's always a line for the ladies room. read more

Love love love. Intimate. Reasonable pricing. No bad seats. Excellent staff. And mmmmm, bands. Jest enjoyed Langhorne Slim & Sara Watkins last weekend. Yum! Plus..they do CAWorldFest. read more

Fantastic place to see ANY show. I've lived in Grass Valley for 25 years and I always had to drive to the Bay Area or Sac/Reno to see decent shows, but when there is someone good here, I always go as it's only a 10 minute drive for me rather an hour or a 2 1/2 hour drive to the Bay Area and you get home at 3 A.M. Great intimate venue. Never a bad seat in the auditorium. Sound is fine. Everyone is laid back and chill. Artists are usually more than happy to mingle with the crowd after the show to sign CD's or chit chat. Very eclectic mix of music comes through this venue. Sometimes I feel that I can go to a show here once a week or more and then there is a dry spell of bizarre acts and I don't attend for over a year. The venue itself is great and if you are anywhere within a 60 to 90 minute drive of this location, it's definitely worth the effort to come see your favorite act here. read more

A while back I found an app called Bandsintown that helps me keep track of my favorite musicians and their concert dates. I was stoked when I saw an email come thru that said that Marc Broussard was playing in Grass Valley, one of my favorite places for a day trip. I jumped right on and bought tickets for my hubby for an early Valentines day outing. The show was this past Sunday Feb 8 at 7:30 pm, so we left home in Roseville at 1pm so we could make it up and spend the afternoon wine tasting and shopping around before the show. Doors opened at 6:30, so after an awesome afternoon we headed up to The Center. We were greeted at the Will Call by a very warm and friendly lady. We got our tickets no problem and went into the venue. After checking out the nice little lobby we went into the auditorium and was surprised at the intimacy of the venue. We grabbed seats in the front row and anxiously awaited the start of the show. The show was awesome. Sound was great and seats were comfortable. Hubby bought us each a cup of coffee at the concession stand and it tasted great and was reasonably priced. We didn't buy and alcoholic beverages so I can't comment on the bar, but I did see people with beer, red and white wine. Bottom line: Not a bad seat in the house!! Visit soon!! read more

The center has two performing venues, and both are miserably uncomfortable. Furthermore, many safety regulations are ignored. Of the productions and shows I've seen, all have been amateurish, and it seems as though the performers are showing off for family and friends, rather than seriously presenting material. read more

Love this place! It's amazing the kind of acts they draw into to one of the most special places ever; Grass Valley. A small town with a big heart that artists and muscians love to come to...and it's the Center for the Arts where they end up. read more

It's a total small-town, community arts center but it brings in BIG names in music and authors as well as other shows. I get that most of these performers have roots here or family ties but I still can't get over our good luck at seeing them up close and personal and on the cheap! Forget that it's a small show, no seat in the house is more than 50 feet from the stage and the performers they book here are willing to break loose from the stodgy inhibited shows they give elsewhere. At the Center for the Arts you are likely to hear songs and acts you wouldn't ever see anywhere else. It's a bit like having a really awesome musician friend playing at your neighborhood block party. They feel comfortable with the crowd to do things they wouldn't otherwise do in their performances. Score one for us as an audience! read more

We love this venue! The variety and quality of the musical acts booked is top notch. Every seat in the small (300) theater feels close to the stage. Sound is excellent. The staff and volunteers are helpful and friendly. My wife and I have been to 50+ shows here, over the past few years. Free parking is close by, and downtown Grass Valley has many excellent restaurant choices within two blocks. The trick to obtaining those high demand tickets is to become a member of The Center (only $50 per year, with a $20 ticket credit!). Honestly, this place rocks! read more

Love the diverse shows that come thru town, best venue is the vets hall but I have seen great smaller shows in the black box theater in back of center, very cozy and intimate. read more

I can't report (yet) that the Center's seats are comfortable, but I can surely attest to the fact that the quality of the acts being booked is unmatched in the area. read more

I have seen many shows at the center, always an outstanding experience. Grateful to have such an incredible venue bringing high quality artists to our community. Worldfest 2015 was a highlight of my year. Thank you to all the hard working staff, and all who support the center. read more

Feel so lucky to have the Center for the Arts in our community. Diverse acts that would not normally get booked in a small town like Grass Valley. Here are some of the "bigger" shows I've seen recently: Lucinda Williams, Jeff Bridges, Paula Poundstone, Winton Marsallis, Lyle Lovette, Chris Isaaks, Michael Franti, The Waifs, Blues Traveler, Dana Carvey, Melissa Ethridge...I could go on and on. So lucky to see amazing talent in up such an up close and personal setting. read more

auditorium is terrible, I went there and it stunk(like as it actually made me want to puke.

Love world music? It's offered in Grass Valley. In this intimate venue, I see the faces of an excellent, San Francisco-like caliber of musicians and artists who range from local born to international renown. It is face to face--You can dance, sing, and clap along. Once I missed the great venue of the old Palms--once in Davis and now in the distant town of Winters. What a surprise to find my spot in Grass Valley and I don't get lost going there. Christa read more

Just saw the great Aimee Mann here 20 August. Great venue, great audience, Great sound. Not a bad seat in the house. Highly recommend any act you are interested in to see them here. 5 Stars. read more

This comfortable venue has a variety of great shows- some really great big names come to this little community- and The Center for the Arts attracts people from all over northern California. read more

The Center for the Arts in Grass Valley is one of the most wonderful places to enjoy both local and big-name entertainment of ALL genres. I've been a member for 2 years and have attended around 25 events during this time; with very rare exception, my life has been fully enriched because of the exquisite talent expressed in each performance. I even enjoyed David Crosby and Graham Nash this past year - almost felt like I got to know them in a small way while they gave 110% of themselves (along with their stellar band) to us Nevada County folks! I'm able to leave my house only minutes before most shows, park free of charge close to the venue, enjoy immense talent, then be back at my home only 10 minutes after leaving the Center. After living in the Los Angeles area for nearly 40 years and needing hours before and after large performances there, I feel SO BLESSED to have SO MUCH goodness with SO LITTLE work, that I want others to join us in this genuine treasure here in Grass Valley. Please come celebrate life and great talent with us! P.S. - they even serve beer(s) and wine(s) and yummy treats for very low prices (-; read more