Center for the Performing Arts, Anchorage

The Alaska Center for the Performing Arts (PAC) stands as an iconic cultural landmark in downtown Anchorage, captivating audiences with its extensive array of performances since its opening in 1988. The center has become the ultimate destination for art enthusiasts, providing an escape into a world of imagination, from theater and dance to music and live entertainment. Each season features diverse programming from PAC’s eight resident companies, including the Anchorage Symphony Orchestra, Anchorage Opera, Alaska Dance Theatre, and the Anchorage Concert Association, making it the beating heart of Anchorage’s performing arts scene.

The center boasts three primary performance spaces designed to accommodate varied artistic presentations: the Evangeline Atwood Concert Hall with 2,000 seats for grand productions like symphonies, ballets, and Broadway musicals; the Discovery Theatre, a 700-seat venue suited for intimate theater and film screenings; and the Sydney Laurence Theatre, a 340-seat hall named after the celebrated painter and perfect for chamber music and small-scale plays.

Built on a historic block once reserved for Anchorage’s early schools, the Alaska Center for the Performing Arts emerged from the ambitious “Project 80s” under Mayors George Sullivan and Tony Knowles, despite early controversies over budget and naming. Now, with over 600 performances and 200,000 visitors each year, PAC showcases both local and national talent, offering everything from Tuba Christmas and summer concerts to acoustic sets and symphony nights—Anchorage’s cultural heartbeat.