Antigua & Barbuda’s performers have a new stage with the opening of the National Performing Arts Centre at the former Deluxe Cinema. Located at the corner of High and Cross Streets, the approximately 850-seat venue is the country’s first state-owned performing arts theatre.
Managed by the Antigua and Barbuda Festivals Commission, the centre will provide a home for music, dance and theatre, alongside opportunities for arts education and collaboration.
Ambassador Elizabeth Makhoul, chairperson of the Festivals Commission, welcomed the opening as an important step for the creative sector. She emphasised its potential to help young people discover their talents and create opportunities for generations of artists.
Prime Minister Gaston Browne described the project as an investment in both culture and the economy, with the potential to support creative careers and add to the experiences available to visitors. He also highlighted its role in preserving cultural heritage and developing future talent.
For performers and audiences alike, the conversion brings a familiar St John’s building into a new chapter of the country’s cultural life.