Z Space (Theater)

Z Space, based in the Mission District of San Francisco, is one of the nation’s leading laboratories for the development of new works. Led by Executive Artistic Director Lisa Steindler since 2007 and founded by David Dower in 1993, Z Space celebrates its 25th anniversary in 2018, continuing its mission to empower artistic risk, collaboration, and camaraderie amongst artists and audience in the service of commissioning, developing, and producing new work. Keystone initiatives include New Work, a development, production, and presentation program that supports artists and ensembles from conception to realization of unique works; Word for Word, a resident theatre company that transforms works of literature verbatim to the stage; Youth Arts, an arts education program promoting literacy and creativity; and the subsidized rental program which opens our venues for use by a variety of other art groups. Operating two venues, an 85-seat black box and a 244-seat main stage, Z Space fills an essential role in the Bay Area’s arts ecology and continues to raise its profile and partnerships both regionally and nationally. Eschewing traditional theatre models with fixed seasons and subscription packages, Z Space chooses to remain flexible, to focus on artists’ needs, and to facilitate the time and resources necessary to develop each project fully.