The Langston Hughes Performing Arts Institute is a cultural, artistic, and educational center for community that focuses on Black and African American art, artists, and audiences. The center is located at 104 17th Avenue South, in the Central District of Seattle, Washington, in the United States.
- Venue
- Langston Hughes Performing Arts Institute
- Town
- Seattle, US
The Langston Hughes Performing Arts Institute is a cultural, artistic, and educational center for community that focuses on Black and African American art, artists, and audiences. The center is located at 104 17th Avenue South, in the Central District of Seattle, Washington, in the United States. It is owned and operated by the City of Seattle, and serves as the headquarters for the eponymous LANGSTON Seattle and Central District Forum (CD Forum), both non-profit organizations. Constructed as a synagogue in 1915, designed by Marcus Priteca, the Jewish congregation sold the building to the City of Seattle in 1969, and following refurbishment, was repurposed as an arts centre. The center is named in honour of Langston Hughes, an author and leader of the Harlem Renaissance. The building is designated as a Seattle landmark. The building was previously known as the Yesler-Atlantic Community Center, the Langston Hughes Cultural Center, The Langston Hughes Cultural Arts Center, and the Langston Hughes Performing Arts Center. The Byzantine Revival style synagogue, completed in 1915, was designed by B. Marcus Priteca for the Orthodox Jewish congregation Chevra Bikur Cholim, now Bikur Cholim Machzikay Hadath. Priteca completed his plans for the building in early 1913; the synagogue was dedicated in August 1915. The lower story of the addition on the south side of the building dates from 1961, the upper story from 1971. Priteca is the architect of many theaters in the United States. The congregation sold the building to the City of Seattle in 1969, originally under the Model Cities Program. It became part of Parks and Recreation in 1972. The interior of the auditorium was renovated in 1971: a balcony area was removed, extending auditorium seating further back. In 1991 an addition was made to the east side of the auditorium, as well as seismic retrofit improvements; another addition was made to the southwest corner of the auditorium in 2003. The additions to the building have b