Art is powerful.

At the Woodruff Arts Center, we believe art can transform lives and impact a community in a powerful way. Building upon more than 50 years of experience, we showcase art that reflect the stories, history, and heartbeat of our community. We not only pass the power of art on to the next generation through access and education, but we connect thousands of people – each one of them empowered to make this city stronger. This is the core of what we do as the Center of the arts in Atlanta.

Our history. The Woodruff Arts Center opened in 1968. Originally named the Memorial Arts Center, the Center was established as a tribute to the 122 Atlanta arts patrons who died at Orly Airfield in France while journeying home from an arts tour in 1962. At the time, the plane’s passengers represented nearly all of Atlanta’s cultural leadership. Out of this tragedy, the concept of establishing a unified arts center emerged to realize the aspirations of those we lost: for Atlanta to be a premier destination for arts and culture.

Where we are today. The Woodruff Arts Center is home to three renowned artistic institutions: The Alliance Theatre, Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, and High Museum of Art. The Arts Center enriches the lives of more than 800,000 patrons annually, including more than 170,000 students and teachers, making the Woodruff Arts Center the largest arts educator in the state of Georgia.

With visual and performing arts as well as robust educational programming presented on a single campus, the Woodruff Arts Center brings together patrons of all ages, interest levels, and backgrounds.