Langston Hughes Performing Arts Center History

Langston Hughes Performing Art Center is housed in what was formerly the Jewish Synagogue of Chevra Bikur Cholim. The building is listed in the National Registry as a historical landmark.

Langston Hughes Performing Arts Center was established in 1969 as a dynamic and creative cultural arts center under the Model Cities, Urban Renewal program. Created to provide a cultural institution in Seattle's Central Area, LHPAC has been at the core of experimental, cutting edge, traditional, and emerging art forms for more than 30 years. LHPAC became a program of Seattle Parks and Recreation in 1972.

It has been an essential gathering place for an African American canon of work in a neighborhood that has seen numerous demographic changes over the past three decades. The Center is committed to championing a cultural and artistic voice while building powerful connections with the diverse cultures in our community. This is accomplished through the creation of dynamic performing arts experiences for all.

> view the Don Sherwood History files