The Center is the valley’s oldest non-profit educational arts organization. Our mission is “to provoke and stimulate the imagination while opening hearts and minds through excellence in diverse arts programming.” Upcoming projects include The Rural Vernacular, Modern Parallels: The Paintings of Mary Henry and Helen Lundeberg, Stripped: An Exploration of Mining and The Arts of the Indian Diaspora. Exhibitions will feature artists such as Jim Dow, Mary Henry, Alfredo Jaar and Sabastião Salgado. We also offer classes for children and adults with leading instructors. This year’s performances include Alex Cuba, Salsa Celtica, Donavon Frankenreiter, Mishka, Christylez Bacon and Raúl Midon. The Center’s 2008-2009 lecture series featured leading writers and thinkers like Henry Louis Gates, Jr., Michael Pollan and Gloria Steinem. This year’s series promises to be just as exciting.