(SOUTH ORANGE, NJ) -- South Orange Mayor Sheena Collum is urging residents and supporters to rally behind the South Orange Performing Arts Center (SOPAC) ahead of its landmark 20th Anniversary Gala on Friday, June 12, 2026, calling the institution "one of the beating hearts of our community" and sounding a passionate call to action for sustained public support.
The Gala, headlined by legendary drummer Max Weinberg—fresh off a sold-out tour with Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band—marks two decades of SOPAC’s cultural leadership in South Orange and the greater Essex County region. But Mayor Collum’s message goes beyond the marquee event.
“The arts are often among the first things cut, yet they are among the things that make a place feel alive,” said Mayor Collum. “SOPAC is so much more than a building or a stage. It’s worth fighting for.”
Twenty Years of Community Impact
In her remarks, Mayor Collum highlighted SOPAC’s measurable contributions to the region. The organization serves approximately 9,000 students each year from South Orange, Maplewood, and surrounding communities through its Arts in Education programs. SOPAC brings tens of thousands of visitors annually into South Orange’s downtown, supporting local restaurants and businesses, and has been recognized multiple times as New Jersey’s “Best Small Performing Arts Center.”
Mayor Collum also celebrated SOPAC’s newest community milestone: the return of movies to South Orange through a partnership with Box Office Cinemas, which she described as a cherished addition to the town’s civic life.
How to Support Gala 20
Gala 20 is the primary fundraising event that supports SOPAC’s operations, staff, artists, facility investments, and educational programming. The public is invited to participate in the following ways:
Each contribution, at any level, helps ensure SOPAC continues to be a vital part of the community for the next generation of artists, audiences, and students.
“My hope is that, together, we can ensure not just another 20 years for SOPAC, but another generation of young people discovering the arts, another generation of audiences gathering together, and another generation proud to call South Orange home,” Mayor Collum said. “Not every community has a place like SOPAC. We do.”
Tickets and more information available at www.sopacnow.org/gala.
The South Orange Performing Arts Center offers audiences exhilarating and diverse arts entertainment in its intimate venue, serving as the cultural heartbeat of the greater South Orange/Maplewood region and contributing to the economic and social vibrancy of its highly diverse community.
SOPAC is an accessible cultural destination that presents world-class artists in an intimate and welcoming environment. The Jennifer & Tony Leitner Performance Hall is a 439-seat mainstage theatre with superb acoustics, sight lines, and seating. Audiences remark that performances in this space are like having their favorite artists right in their own living room. Artists acknowledge that the atmosphere encourages conversations with audiences. The Loft at SOPAC is a 2,185 square-foot multi-purpose space used for performances, rehearsals, classes, and special events.
The unique architecture of SOPAC’s building, which includes a stunning 3-story glass-enclosed atrium, is also home to the Herb + Milly Iris Gallery. Beyond the building, SOPAC co-produces local events such as South Orange Summer Nights and serves students and schools through its arts education residencies.
SOPAC is invested in arts education. SOPAC serves students and schools in our region through a School Performance Series, performing Arts Residencies, and an annual juried art exhibit entitled INSPIRED MINDS: Young Artist Exhibition. SOPAC also collaborates with the New Jersey State Council on the Arts each year to host the Region 5 Poetry Out Loud competitions. The Seton Hall University Arts Council presents a diverse range of events at SOPAC with seasoned professionals, students, and faculty.
SOPAC opened its doors in 2006, born from a shared vision of the South Orange Village Trustees and Seton Hall University as the centerpiece of an ambitious redevelopment plan. Now celebrating its 20th Anniversary Season, SOPAC continues to serve as a cultural cornerstone for the region — an economic driver for the community and a catalyst for artistic opportunity — while looking ahead to its next chapter of impact and growth.
