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OUR MISSION
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WACO Theater Center is a performing and visual arts organization, dedicated to empowering communities and building the dreams of artists and young people in Los Angeles and beyond.
We produce and present artistic work, that provides artists a platform to showcase their creativity and share stories and experiences of the African Diaspora.
We provide and facilitate mentorship interventions, that support young people year-round on their pathway to success from 8th grade through high school graduation.
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WACO at the Vision
WACO at the Vision
Opening Weekend
ABOUT US
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In 2016, WACO (Where Art Can Occur) Theater Center was founded in by Richard Lawson and Tina Knowles, inspired by their love for the arts and young people.
In 2017, a newly renovated 99-seat theater and art gallery space was opened in the burgeoning North Hollywood Arts District of Los Angeles.
In 2026, WACO entered a multi-year partneship with the City of Los Angeles and the Department of Cultural Affairs to co-operate and co-manage the Vision Theatre Performing Arts Center in Leimert Park.
To date, WACO has served over 700 artists and 1,000 young people through programs in the community.
OUR IMPACT
Returning in 2027, the Wearable Art Gala is WACO’s hallmark fundraising event. Attendance to the event provides unrestricted support the mentorship and artistic operations of our prgrams, To date, the gala has raisded over $3.5M to grow WACO’s impact in Los Angeles and beyond.
Launched in 2017 in partnership with KIPP Academy of Opportunity, the WACO Angels and Warriors mentorship program supports student success from eighth grade, through high school graduation.
We produce, present and commission multidisciplinary performance work sharing stories of the African Diaspora. Since 2016 we’ve presented both local and national artist on the WACO stage.
LEADERSHIP
Our board, staff, and partners bring together leaders from arts, entertainment, and business who know how to turn big ideas into reality. More than their track records, they share one clear mission: backing working Black artists and making sure our young people have the mentorship and stage they deserve.
Angeliki Giannakopoulos
Gina M. Zapanta
Glynn Turman
John Wiseman
Jonelle Procope
Karen Grant-Selma
Melba Farquhar
Noah Francis
Ralph Farquhar
TINA KNOWLES
Founder and
Arististic Director
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
SHAY WAFER
Executive Director
ADVISORY BOARD MEMEBERS
Beyoncé Knowles-Carter
Kelly Rowland
Solange Knowles
Tina Knowles is a noted designer, entrepreneur, and art collector whose work spans fashion, film, philanthropy, and community development. As a fashion designer, she has been featured in Vogue, Cosmopolitan, Harper’s Bazaar, L’Officiel, InStyle, and Sports Illustrated, and has designed costumes for films including Dreamgirls, The Pink Panther, Austin Powers in Goldmember, Obsessed, and Cadillac Records. Knowles and her family have established spaces that support young people, including the Knowles-Rowland Center for Youth in Houston. In 2010, she partnered with her daughter to create the Beyoncé Cosmetology Center at Phoenix House in Brooklyn, providing women with skills and resources for a new path forward. In 2016, Knowles co-founded WACO (Where Art Can Occur) Theater Center, creating a platform for artists and youth through mentorship. She has received numerous honors, including the ACE Awards, International Global Leadership Award, and Golden Hanger Award.
Shay Wafer has demonstrated a steadfast dedication to the arts and community development through many years of service to the field. Her passionate vision is balanced with pragmatic experience, having held senior-level positions at nonprofit arts organizations focused on African Diasporic programming and community engagement. Prior to WACO, Shay was the Executive Director of 651 ARTS in Brooklyn and the founding Vice President of Programs for the August Wilson Center for African American Culture in Pittsburgh. She previously served as managing director of Cornerstone Theater Company, LA Theatreworks, and the St. Louis Black Repertory Company, and was a founding partner of Marla Gibbs Crossroads Academy and Theatre. Wafer has served on the boards of National Performance Network and Theatre Communications Group, and as an advisor to the New England Foundation for the Arts. She has also served as a peer panelist for the National Endowment for the Arts. She holds a BS from Howard University and an MFA from the Yale School of Drama.
Caro Gage, Technical Manager
Lachelle Metcalf, Director of Education
STAFF
Adrian Javon Martin
Ascend PR
Jasmine Gipson
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