About the organizer

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.