Here on the east-central Illinois prairie, nestled between the natural beauty of the Twin Lakes’ wooded shoreline and the vast, bountiful farm fields, stands The Paris Center of Fine Arts.  This state-of-the-art performing arts venue is a testament to what can happen when a forward-thinking, arts-loving community unites its resources with impassioned, focused planning.

 

Opened in 2015, The Paris Center of Fine Arts was the vision of the Huston Lippman Family whose generous trust was the financial foundation for the facility.  Innovative civic leaders proposed combining the Lippman funds with those allocated for the building of our new high school, and the PCOFA vision became a reality. 

 

The placement of the Center has proved advantageous for all. Because it sits adjacent to our new, multimillion-dollar Paris High School, local students of all ages are able to explore and engage in the performing arts.  Additionally, the town of Paris is easily accessible to numerous communities in a seven-county area in east-central Illinois and west-central Indiana. Thus, thousands of arts patrons live within an hour’s drive of a fabulous venue in which to indulge their passion for professional live arts.

 

Our 500-seat theater hosts world-class musicians, illusionists, speakers, actors, comedians, and other professional performers.   The PCOFA is also home to the Paris Community Theater and all Paris schools drama and music performances.  Behind the scenes, the stage design and equipment, as well as the light and sound technology, rival and exceed those of many universities. In the fall of 2018, the Center installed a new seven and one-half foot Yamaha C7X performance grand piano.

 

In the eight years since the Paris Center of Fine Arts opened its doors, it has become a community treasure and a performance destination for discerning professionals and arts patrons alike.  Join us this season and see what all the excitement is about!