Blessed with grandeur and beauty, the Community Arts Center is a great venue for all kinds of events. In fact, many of the biggest events in Williamsport take place here. With its lobbies and Lounge, the Community Arts Center is a great place to hold a grand fundraiser, particularly with its special rates for non-profits.

But it’s not just big events. The Capitol Lounge is a great place for a business meeting, an informational breakfast or a retreat. With small conference rooms and the lobbies, there are even places to hold break-out sessions. If you want to explore the possibilities for your event, just contact Jim Dougherty, Executive Director, at jdougherty@caclive.com or (570) 329-4918.

The Martin Theatre is the heart of the Community Arts Center just as it was in the Capitol Theatre. This 2,100-seat beautifully restored movie palace is a pastiche of Spanish, English and Oriental décor like many of the grand movie halls built during the advent of motion pictures. English heraldic symbols mix with Moorish columns and Asian touches throughout, and only the outer lobby is not an historic restoration. The stage was enlarged and new chorus dressing rooms added for live performance but the Martin Theatre’s true brilliance lies in the accuracy of its historic refurbishment. For instance, the original seat stanchions in the orchestra were ruined during the flood of 1936 and replaced. Only when the balcony stanchions were cleaned up were the original colors revealed and recreated for the orchestra seat stanchions.

The Pennsylvania College of Technology was one of the driving forces behind the renovation and owns the Community Arts Center. Dr. Martin was a Senior Vice President at the College and took the lead role in the historic renovations. In recognition of his tireless energy, inspired leadership and dogged determination, the audience chamber was named in his honor.

Since its opening in 1993, the sound and lighting systems have been regularly updated to keep up with current performance needs. The stage floor was replaced in 2020. As you can tell from the technical specifications, it offers much of what a local or national promoter would want for an event. (Sound is the common exception.) Many of the most beloved performances of the last three decades were promoter or co-promoter events and we hope to encourage such collaborations. At the CAC, we don’t care who gets the credit as long as our Williamsport and Susquehanna Valley communities get a good show.

Equipped with a full bar and a serving kitchen for caterers, the Capitol Lounge is a great place to hold a special meeting or party. With a variable capacity between 60 and 120, the Lounge can be used for any small to mid-sized event. Rental of the Lounge also includes a baby grand piano, a programmable 60” flat screen TV, a small sound system, a coat room, an outside patio with fire pit overlooking West Fourth Street, and the possibility of a dance floor. For more information, contact Tom Bressler, Guest Services Manager, at cactxb1@caclive.com or (570) 327-7660.

Community Room and Conference Room

Both the third and fourth floors of the Community Arts Center have small conference rooms that are available for meetings. If you are interested in using one of these rooms, contact Jim Dougherty, Executive Director, at jdougherty@caclive.com or (570) 329-4918.

Mezzanine, Inner Lobby and Outer Lobby

When the CAC schedule permits, the Mezzanine, inner lobby and outer lobby can be rented as part of an event in the Capitol Lounge. All such rentals must be approved by the Executive Director in accordance with the CAC performance calendar. For more information and to seek approval, contact Tom Bressler, Guest Services Manager, at cactxb1@caclive.com or (570) 327-7660.

For Martin Theatre rentals, contact Jim Dougherty, Executive Director at jdougherty@caclive.com or (570) 329-4918.

For Capitol Lounge rentals, contact Tom Bressler, Guest Services Manager, at cactxb1@caclive.com or (570) 327-7660.

For Production or Technical Specification questions, contact Fred Park, Production Director, at fpark@caclive.com or (570) 327-7655.

For Other Space rentals or any other questions, contact Jim Dougherty, Executive Director at jdougherty@caclive.com or (570) 329-4918.