Durham Performing Arts Center facts for kids
 |
|
| Address | 123 Vivian Street Durham, North Carolina United States |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 35°59′36″N 78°54′08″W / 35.99333°N 78.90222°W |
| Owner | City of Durham |
| Operator | Nederlander Organization and Professional Facilities Management |
| Type | performing arts center |
| Capacity | 2,712 |
| Construction | |
| Opened | November 30, 2008 |
| Architect | Szostak Design |
The Durham Performing Arts Center (often called the DPAC) is a huge theater in Durham, North Carolina. It opened on November 30, 2008. It cost $48 million to build. DPAC is one of the biggest performing arts centers in the Carolinas.
It hosts over 200 shows every year. You can see Broadway plays, concerts, comedy shows, and family events. The American Dance Festival also performs here. DPAC is managed by Nederlander and Professional Facilities Management. It has been called the top performing arts group in the Triangle area.
DPAC was built as part of a plan to make downtown Durham better. Other places nearby include the American Tobacco Historic District and the Durham Bulls Athletic Park. DPAC has been listed among the top theaters worldwide for ticket sales. In 2016, over 3 million people had visited DPAC since it opened.
About DPAC
How DPAC Started
The Durham Performing Arts Center was designed by Szostak Design Inc. from Chapel Hill, North Carolina. The theater can hold 2,712 people. The very first show on opening night was a concert by the famous musician B. B. King.
The city of Durham owns the theater. The city works with the Nederlander Organization and Professional Facilities Management to run it. These companies promise to host at least 100 shows each year. They also cover any money losses for the first five years.
Funding and Support
The city of Durham borrowed money to build the center. They used a special way to borrow called "certificates of participation." This meant they did not need voters to approve the loan. Other money came from naming rights and a big gift from Duke University. Duke University gave $7.5 million.
DPAC also hosts the seven-week American Dance Festival every summer. This festival used to be at Duke University. The theater offers good rental prices for the festival.
DPAC's Success
Even though getting big sponsors was hard at first, DPAC has done very well. It has brought in much more money than expected. The city's share of the theater's income has been much higher than planned.
The theater has also helped the city's economy a lot. In its first seven months, it added about $10.9 million to the city's economy. By 2010, this impact grew to over $24 million a year.
DPAC has helped downtown Durham's restaurants. Several new restaurants have opened near the theater. They get many customers from people going to shows. DPAC was even mentioned when Durham was named a "Best Place to Retire" by CNN Money.
The theater has also helped create jobs in North Carolina. It has contributed to the growth of jobs in the travel and entertainment industry.
In 2004, there were some worries from the American Dance Festival. They felt DPAC's goals were different from theirs. The festival wanted a smaller "black box" theater, which was not built. However, by 2009, the festival said the larger DPAC theater had solved many of their old problems.
In 2017, DPAC had a $1.8 million renovation. They updated the seats and carpet. That same year, DPAC was ranked 5th in the U.S. for theater ticket sales by Pollstar magazine. Worldwide, it was ranked 6th. By mid-2017, it had hosted 223 events and sold over 240,000 tickets. Popular Broadway shows included The King and I and Finding Neverland. In 2018, the venue hosted The Color Purple.
Famous Shows and Performers
DPAC mainly hosts national touring shows. The very first sold-out performance was by the legendary B.B. King.
Local shows have included a Triangle production of A Christmas Carol. The American Dance Festival also brings its biggest acts here. In September 2018, Joan Baez performed as part of her final tour. Other famous artists like Bob Dylan have also played at DPAC.
In 2022, comedian Chris Rock performed three sold-out stand-up shows at DPAC. These shows happened shortly after a famous incident at the 94th Academy Awards. The demand for tickets was very high.
