About East Hawaiʻi Cultural Center
The East Hawaiʻi Cultural Center, located in the heart of Downtown Hilo, is a non-profit organization that has been supporting the arts and culture in the community for over 50 years. As a volunteer-run space, it offers a variety of programs, including the Youth Arts Series, Kahua 'Elua Theatre, and Gamelan of the Molten Blossom, as well as exhibitions featuring local and international artists. The venue is known for its comfortable seating and convenient restrooms. Visitors have praised the center's productions, including a thought-provoking musical performance, and its unique cultural programming. Additionally, the Gamelan garage band's weekly performances have been described as "pure magic."
EHCC's Gamelan Sekar Dahana is the only one I know of in the United States that welcomes members of the public to drop in and practice Javanese Gamelan by donation. This is a little known, rare community resource worth noting.
According to their website, the center is open Tuesdays, though Google maps says otherwise.
Nice art gallery and theatre. The art rotates so it stays interesting. I really liked the staff, very patient with our kids for summer art week. Enjoyed the painting interpretation into dance media that was playing for awhile. Really enjoyed One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest too. Really grateful to have art at all. Kind of a small gallery, but worth stopping in along with other things. ?
I used volunteer at EHCC until I left and started working at Safeway for the first time back in 2019 and now this year 2023 I have been doing a musical show for the first time with the hilo education arts repertory theatre (heart) Hilo