09/10/2025
Insuring many more agriculture classes to come!!!
Big Mahalo! SPACE Receives Planning Commission Recommendation for Permit Expansion!
The Hawai‘i County Planning Commission has recommended approval of Hawai‘i Volcano Circus’s request to amend Special Permit No. 1122, marking a major milestone in the evolution of the Seaview Performing Arts Center for Education (SPACE).
This recommendation allows SPACE to:
✅ Expand from 2.5 to 3.13 acres
✅ Broaden its mission to include more educational and community-based programs
✅ Host quarterly public performances and 10 special events a year
✅ Build new facilities like teacher resource rooms
✅ Continue offering vital services such as:
Seaview Community School, a K–6 charter school under HAAS
HICCUP (Hawai‘i Island Community Circus Unity Program)
Out On A Limb agricultural education
Disaster preparedness training in partnership with Vibrant Hawai‘i and USDN
Over the last 25 years, SPACE has grown from a performing arts hub into a community anchor institution, bridging education, culture, agriculture, and resilience in rural Puna.
“SPACE has always been more than a performing arts center—it’s a lifeline for our rural community,” said SPACE Director Morgan Langham. “This recommendation affirms the County’s belief in the power of community-based education and cultural resilience.”
With this recommended approval, we can now move forward with:
🌱 Formalizing our educational programs
🎪 Hosting enriching community events
🏫 Building infrastructure to serve our students and families
🌍 Supporting self-sufficiency in Lower Puna
We thank the Department of Disaster Recovery, Hawai‘i County Planning Department, the Windward Planning Commission, Ashley Kierkiewicz and Representative Greggor Ilagan for recognizing the importance of SPACE’s mission and supporting our future. A big shout out to every one that wrote letters of support and testified in person, especially our closest neighbors. And we could not have done it without our internal team of Morgan Langham, Paola Vidulich, Galen Alpine, Celeste Barcia and of course our land planner Daryn Arai. This is a win not just for SPACE, but for the entire Puna community.
Mahalo to all who continue to support our vision! Please feel free to connect with us by visiting our website hawaiispace.org, check out the calendar tab to see our list of classes or write to us at [email protected] to share ideas!
