City Heights Performance Annex & IDEA Lab
The City Heights Performance Annex reopens as of Sept. 16, 2026. Programming will resume later this month. Please check the City Heights Performance Annex calendar for upcoming classes and events!
Join us Wednesday, September 16 at noon to celebrate with us at the Performance Annex’s Re-opening Ribbon-Cutting event!
Located in the heart of the community, the City Heights Performance Annex transforms a modest community theater into a welcoming, functional and inspiring destination for local artists, performers and residents. From the past to the present, the Performance Annex celebrates and promotes a diverse range of performing arts and cultural disciplines from all over the world.
The Performance Annex is the only black-box venue and theater that the City of San Diego owns and operates. Throughout the year, the Performance Annex hosts free shows, workshops and classes to the community. Its unique stage design can convert the theater into an outdoor amphitheater space that flows into the Officer Jeremy Henwood Memorial Park. This connection makes the space frequently for joint events with the City Parks & Recreation department and has been used for community festivals, Summer Movies in the Park programming and more.
Hosting Special Events at the Annex
While the Performance Annex provides a range of free programming for the community, the venue is also available as a special event space for programs put on by groups requiring paid admission.
If you are interested in renting or bringing a free program to the Performance Annex, please complete the online Performance Annex Request Form and a staff member will email you with more information.
Performance Annex History & Redevelopment
Opening November 1998, the City Heights/Weingart Library and Performance Annex facilities were just some of the components of a rejuvenated “Urban Village” in the community. It was born of public private partnership between the City of San Diego and Price Philanthropies.
From October 2025—September 2026, the City Heights Performance Annex began renovations that added an additional 989 square feet to the existing building. This project has added a new lobby, ticket office, greenroom, dressing rooms, back-of-house amenities and accessible public restrooms. A reimagined community commons supports a variety of performances, events and more.
Watch More Performance Annex Videos
IDEA Lab
The City Heights Library IDEA Lab features a partnership with Media Arts Center San Diego and focuses on creating various types of media, everything from podcasting to filmmaking. Our makerspace includes video and audio recording equipment as well as the necessary computer programs to help you create something great!
On Mondays & Wednesdays, from 1-4 p.m. (or by appointment) the City Heights Library IDEA Lab has open hours for the public to meet with members of Media Arts Center San Diego, use equipment and work with you one-on-one to help make your media project a reality.
For questions about alternative lab hours and availability,
please email Seth Gadsden at: seth@mediaartscenter.org
The Workforce Development Initiative with the San Diego Public Library is a workforce readiness training program in collaboration with Media Arts Center San Diego. Participants 18-29 years old spend six weeks at the City Heights Library IDEA Lab training in multimedia production. They are then placed in internships throughout the San Diego Public Library system, where they create content.
For more information about the Workforce Development Initiative at the San Diego Public Library, visit https://mediaartscenter.org/wdi/.
Please enjoy the final video projects by our latest cohort of trainees.