After an inspiring first summer on the island, the Nantucket Performing Arts Center (NPAC) announced today that it is moving forward with a major renovation of its theater at 5 North Water Street, transforming the venue into a state-of-the-art, year-round home for the performing arts.
Following the acquisition of the property in April, NPAC quickly brought new life to the beloved downtown theater with a vibrant inaugural season that featured What the Constitution Means to Me, Theatre People, the Nantucket Film Festival, and a sold-out evening with Seth Meyers. This fall, the theater has continued to serve the community, welcoming the Nantucket Community Music Center, Nantucket Dance Theatre, and the Boys & Girls Club for rehearsals and classes.
“This first season showed us how much excitement there is in the Nantucket community to come together for shared experiences of the performing arts. Nantucket has an extraordinary arts community; we are thrilled to develop NPAC as a year-round home that expands access and brings people together. We want NPAC to be a place that every arts organization on the island can share,” said Drew Kowalkowski, Executive Director of NPAC.
Renovation work has begun and will continue through the winter, with plans to reopen in the spring. The redesigned theater will retain its intimacy while expanding capacity, comfort, and the artist and audience experience. The renovation is being designed by Annum Architects, a leading Boston architectural firm, in partnership with The Andersen Company LLC, a respected Nantucket builder. Planned upgrades include:
• Expanded Seating: Increasing capacity to 175+ seats
• Reopened Balcony: Featuring 48 premium seats, a VIP lounge, and bar
• Flexible Design: Retractable seating and a second aisle to support a wide range of performances and community events
• Enhanced Experience: Upgraded lighting and acoustics for every performance
Nantucket Performing Arts Center will be a state-of-the art performing arts center with a stunning new balcony, new seats, upgraded lighting and acoustics, and the ability to open the full floor for events. NPAC will be an intimate, flexible space for the island to gather and experience the full range of the performing arts.
Saving and revitalizing the 5 North Water Street theater has been made possible by the generous support of more than 260 donors and the broader Nantucket arts community. NPAC’s ongoing capital campaign aims to fund the renovation and ensure the organization’s long-term sustainability.
“The response from the community has been extraordinary,” said Chris Bierly, NPAC’s co-founder and board chair. “Meeting the challenge of these matching grants will enable NPAC to open its doors this spring as a beautifully reimagined performing arts center, with a robust calendar of programming, available year-round to the island’s arts and cultural community.”
NPAC’s Mission is to enrich the cultural life of Nantucket by bringing people together through the performing arts. NPAC will bring world-class artists to the island while serving as a creative hub in the heart of town. NPAC seeks to foster connection, collaboration, inspiration, and creativity, as a year-round home for the island’s vibrant arts community. NPAC is a registered 501c3 non-profit organization.