A Glimpse of the Valley’s Soul

Critics--some of whom have never bothered to step foot here--lampoon the San Fernando Valley as a vast expanse of mini-malls and gas stations, devoid of the sort of cultural amenities that mark a truly urbane place. For years, the Valley has been missing the concentration of theaters and galleries that give a community cultural life. But that appears to be changing. Three projects--Canoga Park’s Madrid Theatre, North Hollywood’s El Portal Arts Center and Northridge’s VIVA Gallery--offer hope that the Valley’s artistic community may soon get the respect--and the venues--it deserves.

In December, the 499-seat Madrid opened in a former adult movie house, giving the West Valley its only mid-size live theater. City officials hope to book 130 performances at the Madrid this year--from dance troupes to children’s theater groups. And merchants along Sherman Way look to the Madrid to restore vitality to a strip that has seen better days.

Later this year, El Portal Arts Center is scheduled to open in an old movie palace on Lankershim Boulevard. Like the Madrid, the renovated El Portal promises to revive a flagging commercial area. But it also will help nurture the burgeoning NoHo arts district. El Portal will host three performance spaces--a 49-seat storefront theater, a 99-seat forum and a 390-seat main auditorium--as well as gallery and exhibit space. The nonprofit Actors Alley will operate the complex once the $4-million renovation is complete.

Earlier this month, the VIVA Gallery opened in shopping mall space once occupied by a yogurt shop and a discount store. Offering one of the few dedicated places for Valley artists to display their work, the gallery gives ordinary residents an easy way to appreciate the creative talents of their neighbors. The gallery is operated by the Valley Institute of Visual Arts, which was formed by the Valley Watercolor Society, Collage Artists of America, Valley Artists Guild and Women Painters West.

Together, the three projects are encouraging signs that the phrase “Valley arts scene” will be met with something other than a chuckle or raised eyebrow by outside sophisticates. They address a true deficiency. Although the Valley has galleries and theaters that mount powerful shows, they are few and far between. The arts offer a glimpse into someone else’s soul--whether on canvas, in clay or on stage. In a city in which human contact is minimized by freeways and gated suburbs, that’s something to be embraced and encouraged.