About us

For more than 30 years, Center for the Arts has been a place where creativity, community, and culture come together in the heart of historic downtown Murfreesboro. As a nonprofit performing and visual arts organization, we provide inspiring theatrical productions, arts education, gallery exhibitions, concerts, and community programs that enrich lives and make the arts accessible to people of all ages.

From first-time performers and young artists to lifelong patrons and volunteers, everyone has a place at Center for the Arts. Through our volunteer performers, innovative educational opportunities, and meaningful community partnerships, we believe the arts have the power to educate, inspire, and strengthen our community. Whether you’re attending a show, taking a class, volunteering, or supporting our mission, you’re helping create a vibrant cultural future for Middle Tennessee.

About The Center For THe Arts

Center for the Arts traces its roots to 1995, when community leaders established the City-County Cultural Arts Commission with a vision of expanding access to the arts and creating a permanent home for cultural experiences in Murfreesboro and Rutherford County. In 2008, the organization officially became Center for the Arts, growing into a vibrant nonprofit that now serves thousands of patrons, students, artists, and volunteers each year through live theatre, arts education, visual arts exhibitions, concerts, and community enrichment programs. Today, Center for the Arts continues to inspire creativity, foster lifelong learning, and strengthen our community through the transformative power of the arts.

Our home is one of Murfreesboro’s most treasured historic landmarks. Constructed in 1909 as the city’s first United States Post Office, the building later served as the Rutherford County Public Library before beginning its next chapter as a center for arts and culture. Thoughtfully preserved while adapting to the needs of a thriving nonprofit arts organization, the building stands as a bridge between Murfreesboro’s rich history and its creative future, a welcoming place where stories are shared, artists are nurtured, and our community comes together through the arts.

Our mission

The mission of the Center for the Arts is to enhance the quality of life in our community by providing cultural and economic enrichment through the arts.

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Statement

Consistent with the core mission of Center for the Arts, Inc., we are committed to maintaining a safe, cultural environment that promotes diversity and awareness (social consciousness), embraces inclusion and advocacy, and fosters equity and accountability among its programming, board members, staff, constituents, and the community at large in the effort to increase and enhance artistic excellence.