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Austin Playhouse - Procurement and Development Center - Austin, TX
  • Arts and Culture

Austin Playhouse Arts Center

A new two-theater arts facility on East Anderson Lane will provide a permanent home for Austin Playhouse and expand affordable performance and rehearsal space for the community.
Developer / Partners
Austin Playhouse, City of Austin, Rally Austin
Project Goals
Develop affordable, multipurpose creative infrastructure. Secure long-term tenancy for Austin Playhouse after years of displacement. Provide community access to professional-quality arts spaces. Advance cultural preservation and equitable access.
Key Features
Two theaters: 207-seat proscenium and 99-seat black box, flexible studio and rehearsal spaces, classrooms and gallery lobby, dressing rooms, storage, and technical support spaces.
Arts, Music, & Culture

Austin Playhouse Arts Center: Project Facts

  • Arts and Culture
Location
1717 East Anderson Lane, Austin, TX
Contributors
Austin Cultural Trust
Investment
Anticipated $7.5 million total project budget including $4.5 million in 2018 City of Austin Cultural Facilities Bond funding (via Rally Austin) and $3 million+ in private funding from Austin Playhouse.
Size / Scope
Approx. 2.8-acre site; facility includes two theaters and multipurpose creative spaces
Completion Date / Timeline
Projected opening is dependent on final contract execution and construction schedule.

Why It Matters

Provides Austin Playhouse with a permanent home after decades of displacement. Expands affordable, professional-quality performance and rehearsal space in Austin. Creates a new community arts facility with long-term public access. Strengthens Austin’s cultural sector through a public-private investment model.
Austin Playhouse has been telling stories on Austin stages since 2000. For years, the company has faced displacement, moving from Penn Field to Highland Mall, and then into temporary spaces. Despite the challenges, Austin Playhouse remained a vital part of Austin’s theatre scene. The new Arts Center will give the company a permanent home and provide space for artists and audiences to connect for generations to come.
Austin Playhouse
Austin Playhouse
The new facility on East Anderson Lane will feature two theaters, classrooms, rehearsal halls, and gallery space. Austin Playhouse will manage the center, ensuring it remains affordable and accessible. With $4.5 million in City bond funding and $3 million in private contributions, the project is a true partnership. It represents a lasting investment in Austin’s creative future.

Project Timeline

  • 2000
    Austin Playhouse Founded

    Austin Playhouse is established as a professional theatre company, producing classics, new works, and musicals, while building a reputation for high-quality, accessible performances.

  • 2005-2020
    Multiple Relocations

    Over two decades, Austin Playhouse operated in various temporary venues, including Penn Field and Highland Mall, reflecting both its resilience and the challenges of Austin’s rising real estate costs.

  • March 2022
    Call for Proposals

    Rally Austin reviews proposals and begins negotiations with the City and Austin Playhouse as part of the Cultural Trust project process.

  • December 2023
    Funding Approved

    Austin City Council allocates $4.5M from the 2018 Cultural Facilities Bond to support development of a new two-theater arts center on East Anderson Lane.

  • June 2025
    Ground Lease & Sublease Development

    Draft term sheets for the ground lease, development agreement, and sublease are presented to Austin Playhouse, moving the project toward construction of the new facility.

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