About the Center

What We Do

The mission for the Center for the Arts, Inc. is to enhance the quality of our community by providing a variety of arts and opportunities which will educate and entertain people of all ethnicity, ages, and income levels. The Center for the Arts will advance art awareness through quality theatrical productions, musical performances, art exhibits, educational programs, life-long learning and community activities thus improving overall quality of life in our community.
The Center for the Arts is a 501(c) 3 non-profit organization.

Theatrical Productions

The experience of live theater is magical. A quality theater production is unsurpassed in its ability to communicate universal ideas and to reflect the perceptions of its audience.
High quality theater is not the only ingredient for a successful community theater. The Center for the Arts must belong to the community. Its non-profit status and the resulting fundraising activities make corporate contributors and individual patrons the “owners/investors” of the Center.
The Center for the Arts is renowned for its exceptional theatrical productions. It is the Center’s mission to involve a diverse group of talent from the community that often includes children from ages 8 to 88 and of every race, culture and background. The Center attracts talent from not only Rutherford County but from surrounding counties and the greater Nashville area.
Our talent includes everything from singers, dancers, actors, choreographers, directors, producers, technical support, construction and painting as well as the many, many, many volunteers who help with ticket sales, ushering, concessions and answering the phones.
The Center’s theater can hold up to 150 patrons. On average over 20,000 patrons attend Center for the Arts performances each year.
Performances range from Broadway musicals, dramas, concerts, magic shows and pantomine. The Center has also hosted international Folk Festivals with dancers, musicians and celebrations of all kinds.
The Center for the Arts utilized Rutherford County’s many resources including such entities as church choirs, partnerships with restaurants, churches and myriad local businesses.

Our History

The Center for the Arts opened to the public on December 1, 1995 and was originally funded by the City of Murfreesboro and Rutherford County. In 2008 The Center became a non-profit 501 (c) 3 organization and now depends on the generosity of the public for funding.  Since it’s opening, the Center for the Arts has been presenting theatrical productions, visual art exhibitions, music concerts, dance performances and educational classes.

The Center for the Arts is housed in an Italianate structure built in 1909 by the U.S. Department of Treasury on the site of an old livery station. The building originally served as the Post Office and in 1962 became the Linebaugh Library. After the library relocated, the building was renovated and became the Center for the Arts. The renovation of the building was awarded the Governor’s Award for Economic and Community Development.

• handicap accessible
• one level
• male and female restrooms with handicap accessibility

One of the first actions of the new board was to conduct a nationwide search for a new Executive Director. Mr. Anthony Cimino, who had recently been elected to the board, was unanimously chosen for the position. Mr. Cimino’s background not only includes a lifetime of involvement in the arts as a performer, but also included service as a board member for other arts organizations and non-profits, as well as strong business acumen from over 20 years as a senior sales manager in the managed health care field.

Our Venue

The theater in the Center for the Arts has general seating for up to 150.

The Art Gallery has exhibits that change quarterly with annual exhibits that include an area High School Exhibition and Competition, the Murfreesboro Rutherford Art League, and group shows for local artists.

The Center is located at 110 West College in Murfreesboro one block north east of the courthouse square. Murfreesboro is located 30 miles southeast of Nashville. It is east of Franklin on HWY 96.

Directions: From 24 take exit 81B (Church Street). Turn left at College Street. We are at the corner of Church and College.

Rental

Make your event a work of art! Located in the heart of Murfreesboro, the Center for the Arts provides a beautiful backdrop for any event. The Center is just one block from the Courthouse Square at 110 West College Street. For more on renting space at the Center visit our Rental page.