Rainier Arts Center presents performing arts from many diverse cultures, and provides Southeast Seattle with an affordable gathering space for community events. People from the community share their stories through traditional and contemporary art forms, including film, music, dance, theatre, food, and more. We are committed to providing space for youth programs, including performance opportunities, workshops, and summer camps.
The Center produces an annual Summer Series of outdoor movies, concerts, and plays in Columbia Park. Our family friendly Arts Gumbo event highlights the art, food, and celebratory legacies of a different culture each year. Several community organizations rely on Rainier Arts Center for presenting their programs, including Broadway Bound Children’s Theatre, Seattle International Film Festival, and local arts and cultural groups. In 2019, more than 500 artists performed at Rainier Arts Center, with 18,000 community members in attendance.
Rainier Arts Center is an elegant neoclassical structure, built in 1921 as a Fifth Church of Christ. The Center was purchased by SEED in 1995, with support from our community, the Rainier Valley Historical Society, and the Rainier Valley Chamber of Commerce. The Center opened in 1997 as the Rainier Valley Cultural Center – Southeast Seattle’s first multicultural community performance space. In 2015, the Center was renamed Rainier Arts Center and we embarked upon renovations to improve the Center and meet growing demand.