The Maui Arts & Cultural Center is the place to go when you want to explore cultural programs, art exhibits, and tons of entertainment events. As a multi-disciplinary venue in Kahului, they have everything from music performances and comedy shows to ukulele festivals and art gallery displays.
Across their huge campus, they have many event venues to consider. The Castle Theater serves as their largest state-of-the-art indoor theater and accommodates up to 1,297 people. For a more intimate venue, there’s the 250-seat McCoy Studio Theater instead. Art gallery showings end up at the huge 4,100 square foot Schaefer International Gallery.
As for their outdoor spaces, they have the ever-stunning Yokouchi Pavilion with a concert stage surrounded by stately pillars and covered in a glass-capped roof. The space has room for bistro dining for up to 1,500 people out on the lawn, which pairs perfectly with its catering prep kitchen and built-in beverage bars.
Their largest event space is the Alexander & Baldwin Amphitheater, which often serves as the go-to spot for festivals. Built for up to 5,500 people, this outdoor venue can easily transform into the ideal location for cultural programs, performances, and so much more at a moment’s notice.
In addition to all that, they have meeting rooms, dance studios, and many other spaces for the community as a whole to enjoy. They even have the first recorded pa hula on site, a dedicated space honoring this important piece of Hawaiian culture.
Visit to see:
Comedy Acts
When you want to belly laughs all evening long, check out the comedy acts landing onstage. They often have popular local acts, like Tumua, brightening up the Castle Theater with fun stories and jokes galore. Mainstream comedians end up here more often than not, too, including the one and only Chelsea Handler.
Musical Performances
Smoky Robinson, John Craigie, and all the musicians in between proudly come to this center intent on taking everyone on a musical journey. The Maui Pops Orchestra gets onstage on the regular as well, often offering seasonal shows to remember.
Art Gallery Exhibits
When you want to explore phenomenal local artwork, jet on over to the gallery to take a look. To keep things fresh, their exhibits rotate out on a quarterly basis throughout most of the year. So, you always know you’ll get to see new talent strut their stuff whenever you take a peek.
Cultural Programs
To explore the Hawaiian culture time and time again, you just have to attend their cultural programs whenever the opportunity arises. The Ki Hoalu Guitar Festival and Maui Ukulele Festival are two such events, but there are many others popping up all the time.
The center regularly takes photos and video of their public events for use in their future marketing materials. So, by attending events at their facility, you consent to them using your image. They do not offer any compensation for the use of your images, but it does make for some great bragging rights. Check their social media pages and website after attending events to see if you made the cut.
Insider Tips:
-If you need space for a big event, just ask the team about reserving a meeting room or other onsite venue that works for your needs. They also offer food and beverage service as needed.
-When attending indoor events, parking is free. For outdoor events, expect an extra charge.
-The parking lot fills up fast during big events. You can find overflow parking at UH Maui College across the street.
-All of their indoor theaters are wheelchair accessible. They also have three wheelchair-accessible restrooms for both men and women. Outdoor events may not have wheelchair-accessible seating arrangements, however.
-If you have hearing impairments, ask about using a free headset linked to their Sennheiser infra-red system.