FOR SIGNIFICANT AND LONG-LASTING IMPACT ON SAN JOSE’S ART AND CULTURAL LANDSCAPE
AUGUST 9, 2018, SAN JOSE, CA – The City of San Jose Office of Cultural Affairs, in partnership with the Arts Commission, has announced honorees of the 2018 Cornerstone of the Arts Awards, recognizing businesses and individuals who have a made a significant and long-lasting impact on San Jose’s art and cultural landscape. Eastridge Center, owned and operated by Pacific Retail Capital Partners, was selected as the honoree for the 2018 Business Support for the Arts award. Once a year, this award is bestowed upon a business that has provided enduring leadership in the advancement of arts and culture in San Jose and increased the understanding of the value of the arts in creating a thriving community.
Eligibility for the Business Support for the Arts Award requires a business to establish strong partnerships with the arts community in San Jose and demonstrate support of the arts in the form of financial, in-kind, promotional, or other types of support. Criteria is based on significance of support, community impact, duration of support, and collaboration. The 2018 Cornerstone of the Arts committee was comprised of past honoree and Arts Commissioners. Elisa Marina Alvarado, founder and former Artistic Director of Teatro Visión; past honoree Richard James, San Jose Arts Commission Chair; and Ramona Snyder, San Jose Arts Commission Vice Chair. “I was proud to nominate Eastridge Center for the Business Support of the Arts Award as I’ve seen its significant impact on our Eastside community,” said Richard James. “Eastridge management understands how the power of art can create and engage a community, and that is seen weekly through its diverse menu of festivals, performances and its wonderfully-inspired murals.”
Opened in 1971, Eastridge Center has served as a cultural hub for the diverse San Jose community for decades. Pacific Retail Capital Partners purchased the 1.4-million square foot center in 2016 and completed an intensive multimillion-dollar transformation, which included numerous projects and programs aimed at positively impacting the San Jose arts community. The Eastridge Mural Program and bi-weekly Open Space event at Eastridge Center are just two of the new platforms celebrating the arts community. The Eastridge Mural Program added 20,000 square feet of exterior murals, spotlighting California artists and establishing the center as the largest facade of mural space on a shopping center in the country. Open Space is a twice-monthly open mic night open to everyone, every age, and every art form. Each week, local musicians, spoken-word artists, dancers, poets, filmmakers, and comedians gather to share, collaborate, and perform.
Other Eastridge signature events and monthly programs – including Make Music Day San Jose, a collaborative festival with Pow Wow San Jose, cultural performances, monthly featured artists, and Art Wednesdays – provide opportunities for artists to perform for larger audiences, increasing the impact of the artists’ work and increasing awareness about access to this multi-generational, community platform. As Eastridge continues to partner with San Jose arts leaders to bring diverse platforms, resources, and audience opportunities to a community eager for art, its initiatives demonstrate leadership in the arts community and a commitment to positively impacting society. Najla Kayyem, senior vice president of marketing at Pacific Retail Capital Partners, said, “We are excited to be recognized for this prestigious honor. By supporting local artists and the arts, we hope to encourage creativity while fostering a love of art that will resonate within the community and bring people together for years to come.”
The 2018 awards will be presented at the Cornerstone of the Arts event at the Hammer Theatre on October 12, 2018.
About Eastridge Center
Owned and operated by Pacific Retail Capital Partners, Eastridge Center is Silicon Valley’s second largest retail destination with 1.4 million square feet of abundant shopping, dining, and entertainment. 2018 marks a milestone as the property unveils its physical redeveloped space and a community-focused approach to embrace the best of San Jose. The development includes a full-interior remodel, new family areas and state-of-the-art amenities, and the largest exterior mural artscape on any shopping center in the nation. Eastridge Center features an impressive 15-screen AMC IMAX Theatre, Round 1 Bowling & Amusements, Macy’s, JCPenney, Sears, Red Robin, and Chili’s, and showcases a spacious eatery, multiple restaurants, and 150 stores including H&M, Hollister Co., Tilly’s, Victoria’s Secret, and the Bay Area’s first Forever 21 RED. The Center Court offers two levels of shopping with superior store accessibility and visibility in the city’s East Foothills and Evergreen neighborhoods.
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