Alaska Center for the Performing Arts facts for kids
The Alaska Center for the Performing Arts, with Town Square Park in the foreground
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| Address | 621 West 6th Avenue Anchorage, Alaska |
|---|---|
| Owner | Municipality of Anchorage |
| Operator | ACPA, Inc. |
| Construction | |
| Opened | September 15, 1988 |
| Architect | Hardy Holzman Pfeiffer Associates |
| Website | |
| https://www.alaskapac.org | |
The Alaska Center for the Performing Arts (often called the AlaskaPAC) is a special place in downtown Anchorage, Alaska. It's where people go to watch live shows. It opened in 1988 and welcomes over 200,000 visitors every year.
The center has three main theaters:
- Evangeline Atwood Concert Hall: This is the biggest theater, with 2,000 seats. It's perfect for large shows like opera, orchestra concerts, dance performances, and Broadway musicals.
- Discovery Theatre: This theater has 700 seats. It's used for plays, smaller operas, dance, movies, and music shows.
- Sydney Laurence Theatre: Named after the painter Sydney Laurence, this theater has 340 seats. It's a great spot for plays, movies, and chamber music (music played by a small group of musicians).
Many groups call the AlaskaPAC their home. These include the Anchorage Symphony Orchestra, the Anchorage Opera (which is Alaska's only professional opera company), the Alaska Dance Theatre, and the Alaska Junior Theater. The Anchorage Concert Association, Alaska's largest arts promoter, also uses the center. Other groups like Perseverance Theatre and the Anchorage Concert Chorus perform here too.
History of the Alaska Center for the Performing Arts
The land where the AlaskaPAC now stands was once set aside for public schools in Anchorage. Over time, new schools were built in other parts of the city. The old school building on this spot became a city office and a gym.
From Auditorium to Arts Center
Before the AlaskaPAC, there was a building called the Sydney Laurence Auditorium on the same block. This auditorium was famous for a big event in 1969. Alaska's government, led by Governor Keith Miller, held an oil-lease sale there. This sale was for oil rights in Prudhoe Bay, a very important oil field.
In the 1980s, a plan called "Project 80s" began. This project aimed to replace the old buildings with a new arts center. Mayor George Sullivan started the idea, and Mayor Tony Knowles really pushed for it.
Building Challenges
Building the Alaska Center for the Performing Arts was a big project. It faced some challenges, especially with its cost. The original plan estimated it would cost $35 million, but the final cost ended up being much higher.
There were also some discussions about the building's design. For example, some people thought it needed a better place for cars to drop off visitors. There was also a debate about what to name the center. Voters decided not to name it after Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., even though the city assembly had voted for that name.
