East Hawai‘i Cultural Center

What We Do

The mission of EHCC is to give voice to the cultural and artistic expressions of the diverse communities that make up our island, especially underserved and overlooked groups such as LGBTQ, women, Native Hawaiian, and children. Our vision is to create a vibrant and thriving gathering place centered on art and culture where the ever-evolving voices of our local communities inspire dialogue and action. While we maintain high standards for aesthetic expression, we believe that the creative and cultural expression of all people of our state is of equal value. EHCC is located in historically resonant downtown Hilo, in a neighborhood where ruling chiefs governed in the pre-contact era. The main building, which is on the National Register of Historic Places, was built in 1932 and was originally the District Court House and Police Station. What was once the jailhouse is now our annex, and the police chief’s garage is now a music studio housing a Javanese gamelan orchestra. The police moved out of the facilities in the 1970s. A few years later, local school principal and visionary art lover Frances Chang convinced the County to turn the property over to a local group of art enthusiasts. The facilities have provided a home for the visual and performing arts ever since.

Who We Are

We accomplish our mission and vision through three pillars: visual arts, performing arts, and education. Our gallery maintains an ambitious rotating schedule of acclaimed exhibitions, representing the broad range of contemporary art: painting, sculpture, printmaking, ceramics, photography, and new media. We present the finest work of local artists as well as artists of national and international reputation whose work we feel resonates in Hawaii. Our theatre hosts theatrical and musical productions, artist talks, story tellers, and multi-media presentations. Our education programming, focused especially on children and youth, offers summer camp, fall break, and after school options where students can learn everything from paper-making to ceramics to gyotaku (Japanese fish printing) and more. We welcome volunteer participation directly in our programming, but would also greatly appreciate technical input from experts who can help us function more efficiently: communications, web design, fundraising, membership management, and accounting are examples of operational areas where we would welcome assistance. Depending on the skills and time commitment of volunteers, potential assignments could include any of these activities: offer a presentation on an aspect of art, drama, or Hawaiian culture; teach an after-school art class or a one-time workshop; perform a communications audit; design an upgrade for our website; tabulate visitor surveys; advise on best accounting practices. We welcome additional ideas from potential volunteers based on their skill sets.

Cause Areas

Keiki, Environmental Conservation, Cultural Preservation, Community Engagement

Featured Video

---