Donate Today

to any California State University campus at that time—was honored when the new venue was named the Christopher Cohan Performing Arts Center. Additional Distinguished Founders included visionaries Barbara & John Hartman and Rob Rossi. Dozens of donors from the community came forward as founders, whose leadership alongside early FPAC Executive Directors Warren Sinsheimer and Jim Jamieson made the project possible.

The 1996 completion of the PAC provided a venue that has enabled resident performing arts companies to grow in sophistication and capability, now routinely presenting high-quality performances. Harold Miossi Hall (formerly Harman Hall) inside the PAC offers an unforgettable experience for performing artists, with its outstanding acoustics and elegant design. Even seasoned performers and audience members find the 1,286-seat hall truly exceptional.

The partnership forged in 1986 to create the PAC remains strong today. The Foundation, the City, and Cal Poly continue working together to keep the facility accessible to all audiences and affordable for community arts groups, bringing thousands of schoolchildren to student matinees annually, while maintaining it in impeccable condition.

To learn more about the history of the Performing Arts Center, please click HERE.

The 1996 completion of the PAC provided a venue that has enabled resident performing arts companies to grow in sophistication and capability, now routinely presenting high-quality performances. Harold Miossi Hall (formerly Harman Hall) inside the PAC offers an unforgettable experience for performing artists, with its outstanding acoustics and elegant design. Even seasoned performers and audience members find the 1,286-seat hall truly exceptional.

The partnership forged in 1986 to create the PAC remains strong today. The Foundation, the City, and Cal Poly continue working together to keep the facility accessible to all audiences and affordable for community arts groups, bringing thousands of schoolchildren to student matinees annually, while maintaining it in impeccable condition.

To learn more about the history of the Performing Arts Center, please click HERE.

Generous community members, through the Foundation, contributed $12.5 million of the $30 million needed to complete the building on Cal Poly's campus, which opened its doors in 1996. A pivotal moment came in 1990 when Christopher Cohan, owner of Sonic Communications, made a substantial gift pledge on the eve of the capital campaign's launch. His contribution—the largest single gift

Generous community members, through the Foundation, contributed $12.5 million of the $30 million needed to complete the building on Cal Poly's campus, which opened its doors in 1996. A pivotal moment came in 1990 when Christopher Cohan, owner of Sonic Communications, made a substantial gift pledge on the eve of the capital campaign's launch. His contribution—the largest single gift to any California State University campus at that time—was honored when the new venue was named the Christopher Cohan Performing Arts Center. Additional Distinguished Founders included visionaries Barbara & John Hartman and Rob Rossi. Dozens of donors from the community came forward as founders, whose leadership alongside early FPAC Executive Directors Warren Sinsheimer and Jim Jamieson made the project possible.

Since its start in 1986, the Foundation for the Performing Arts Center has collaborated with Cal Poly and the City of San Luis Obispo to cultivate a thriving performing arts community in San Luis Obispo County. During the Foundation's first decade, this partnership was instrumental in bringing an outstanding performing arts venue to fruition.

Partnership Through Community Collaboration

OUR HISTORY

THE FORBES PIPE ORGAN

Twelve years after the PAC's completion, generous local philanthropists Bert and Candace Forbes pledged to fund construction of the long-coveted pipe organ that now graces Harold Miossi Hall. On June 19, 2006, over 70 local volunteers carefully unloaded 2,767 pipes that would become the Fisk Opus 129 pipe organ. The instrument took over a year to fully construct, install, and tune. Thanks to the Forbes' gift, the Hall now houses an outstanding instrument that rivals those in cathedrals and concert halls around the world. The magnificent organ has become a defining feature of the theater, its towering pipes rising majestically beside the stage.

In May 2018, the Harold J. Miossi Charitable Trust awarded a substantial gift to the Foundation to endow arts education programs. In honor of this transformative contribution, FPAC renamed Sidney Harman Hall to Harold Miossi Hall, the largest performance space within the PAC. Harold Miossi was a San Luis Obispo County rancher, environmentalist, and philanthropist whose Charitable Trust has made significant gifts throughout the community since his passing in 2006. Harold Miossi Hall will retain this name through 2033, as directed by Trustee Howard Carroll. The endowment supports the PAC's School Matinee Program, bringing over 10,000 students to free performances annually.

A generous gift from the Safreno Family enabled FPAC to collaborate with Cal Poly in creating a welcoming entrance and gathering space at the Performing Arts Center.

The Trust Automation Plaza opened in 2024, providing a beautiful outdoor space for patrons to gather before and after performances. The plaza is also enjoyed by Cal Poly students who study, socialize, and relax in the California sunshine.