THE ATLAS STORY
Originally built in 1938, the Atlas was one of four movie theaters on H Street NE. For 30 years, the iconic movie house was a second home for film lovers throughout the H Street Corridor. The Atlas was reborn in 2006 as a community-based organization that boasts a 59,000 square-foot performing arts center with four performance spaces, dance studios, offices, back-of-house facilities and an expansive lobby with a bar.

OUR MISSION
The Atlas Performing Arts Center provides spaces for artists to create music, theatre and dance to entertain and engage audiences in exploring the ideas and issues of our time. We nurture an environment that welcomes artists representing our diverse community. We invest in partnerships and programs that reflect the best of the arts and our humanity.

ATLAS PROGRAMS
The Atlas has four performance spaces, and we often host free events in our lobby. We produce Atlas Presents performances and rent our spaces to other artist groups so they can create their own productions. We support and partner with DC arts makers – our Resident Arts Partners – including Capital City Symphony, Mosaic Theater Company of DC, Visionaries of the Creative Arts (VOCA), and Joy of Motion Dance Center. The Atlas and our Resident Arts Partners collectively offer free and reduced-cost arts programming and services valued at over $1.6 million per year.

Atlas Arts Lab provides a platform for individual artists to develop new work and to serve the community through engagement initiatives that encourage civic dialogue and community cohesion.

Rooted in social justice, Atlas’ award-winning City at Peace youth development program uses performing arts as a learning tool to develop skills in dance, theatre, voice, and stage production, as well as skills in conflict resolution, personal storytelling, empathy, understanding, and leadership.

The Atlas INTERSECTIONS Festival is a multi-week performing arts festival that presents work that impacts our society, culture, and world by informing, inspiring, educating, and entertaining. The annual festival hosts over 600 artists and entertains thousands of audience members.

We proudly partner with community nonprofit and arts organizations like St. Coletta of Greater Washington and BroadFutures as well as Glade Dance/NACHMO to integrate a wider community in the cultural life of the city at the Atlas.

Atlas Gala 2025: An Evening of Magic