Mission & Vision
Mission
Yerba Buena Center for the Arts presents contemporary art from the Bay Area and around the world that reflects the profound issues and ideas of our time, expands the boundaries of artistic practice, and celebrates the diversity of human experience and expression.
Core Values
The vitality of life in the Bay Area depends on our continued exposure to varied perspectives and beliefs. As well, our legacy depends upon our commitment to new art, ideas and means of expression. These are the sustaining principles of Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, which take form through:
- Inclusion–of the new idea, the unfamiliar voice and multiple viewpoints of diverse cultures;
- Respect–for the time and goodwill of our audiences; the talent of all artists; the generosity of our funders; the dedication of Staff, Board and Volunteers; the integrity of our local communities;
- Collaboration–with artists and arts organizations, community partners, civic groups and businesses in pursuit of mutual goals and richer experiences;
- Inquiry–by supporting artistic risk-taking and experimentation, and a dynamic learning environment that encourages critical thinking, discovery and play; and
- Commitment–to the artistic development of Bay Area artists and organizations in conjunction with their national and international peers.
Vision
Yerba Buena Center for the Arts aspires to be a center of creativity within the Bay Area; one that is recognized globally and locally for its dedication to artistic innovation, its imagination in the exploration of ideas and its sustained commitment to creatively engaging our community in the contemporary art experience. Inspired by living artists, we seek to create through them and with them a fully integrated center of artistic inquiry that embraces diverse aesthetics and ideas. We are courageous in pursuit of our aspirations, bold in carrying out our work and fearless in our commitment to place contemporary art at the heart of community life.