Our mission.
To provide a venue for shared community involvement and to produce and present quality entertainment opportunities for artists and patrons.
Our vision.
We envision a community where artistic opportunity is accessible to all; where geography, age, experience, or circumstance do not limit participation; and where the performing arts serve as a lifelong pathway for creativity, connection, growth, and civic engagement.
The Lancaster Opera House will be recognized as a regional center for artistic excellence and community impact—an organization that supports artists from their first experience on stage through professional practice, mentorship, leadership, and lifelong creative participation. We believe talent is universal. Opportunity is not. By creating accessible pathways into the arts and investing in the people who travel them, we strengthen our community, enrich lives, and ensure that the arts remain a vital part of the region’s future.
Core values.
Belonging
We believe the arts should be welcoming, inclusive, and accessible. Every person deserves the opportunity to see themselves in the arts and discover that they belong there.
Artistic Excellence
We pursue excellence in performance, production, education, and artistic practice while remaining committed to continuous growth and lifelong learning.
Community
We strengthen our region by bringing people together through shared artistic experiences that foster connection, understanding, and civic pride.
Stewardship
We honor the trust placed in us by our artists, audiences, volunteers, donors, and partners through responsible leadership, transparency, and sustainable decision-making.
Ownership
We empower individuals at every level of the organization to contribute meaningfully to our success through initiative, accountability, collaboration, and shared responsibility.
Lifelong Participation
We believe artistic growth has no age limit. We support creative exploration and expression from first exposure through professional practice and into the later stages of life.
Access
We recognize that proximity matters. By creating opportunities close to home and reducing barriers to participation, we ensure that more people can engage meaningfully with the arts.
Organizational Belief
The Lancaster Opera House exists so people can see themselves in the arts—and then discover they belong there.
Our promise.
People come for a show. They stay because they found a home.
