Our vibrant arts community and rich cultural history adds depth and meaning to the lives of our residents.
Founded in 1955, Arts United is the nation’s second oldest community-wide arts organization. Arts United is a community platform which supports the growth and development of arts organizations and artistic culture throughout Northeast Indiana, including the state’s only professional ballet company, Fort Wayne Ballet, and the Fort Wayne Philharmonic. Fort Wayne Museum of Art is accredited by the American Alliance for Museums, a distinction awarded to only 3% of U.S. museums. The historic Embassy Theatre hosts Broadway productions and other national acts for our residents and visitors to enjoy. Named a Top 10 Zoo by Parents Magazine, the Fort Wayne Children’s Zoo is the most popular summertime destination in Indiana. Science Central children’s museum is a year-round attraction for fun and learning. Fort Wayne also has a burgeoning community of musicians and artists. Sweetwater Sound, the world’s largest music technology and instrument retailer headquartered here in Fort Wayne, brings a wide spectrum of musicians and bands to their campus, and the Middle Waves Music Festival attracts up-and-coming indie, hip-hop and rock & roll acts.
Why are we a community that supports the arts and cultural activities? Because our vibrant arts scene and rich cultural history adds depth and meaning to the lives of our residents.
Founded in 1955, Arts United of Greater Fort Wayne exists to bring collective focus and support to the creative sector of northeast Indiana to elevate our community’s quality of life. Based at Arts Campus Fort Wayne featuring the Louis Khan-designed Arts United Center, this organization serves as a collective voice for the creative sector to increase community support of arts and culture.
By opening our stage to the greatest touring artists in every genre imaginable–and by presenting them to the masses with the latest sound and lighting technology around–The Clyde is staking our claim as the region’s first choice for live entertainment. The journey from historic movie house to hyper-modern music hall was long and winding, but it’s made The Clyde what it is today: a Fort Wayne gem committed to providing guests with an outstanding experience every time they walk through our doors.
The historic Embassy Theatre features national productions from the Broadway stage, concerts of all musical formats, cinema, educational programming, and a continued commitment to young people.
Fort Wayne Ballet is personally and passionately invested in our dancers, community, and the art of dance. We are the longest-running professional ballet company and academy in Indiana.
The Fort Wayne Children’s Choir teaches music literacy to children from diverse backgrounds through song and performance. We strive to be recognized as one of the finest choirs in the nation because of our excellence in musical education, the diversity of our membership, and the quality of our contributions to the community’s cultural life.
The Fort Wayne Civic Theatre is one of the longest standing downtown entertainment destinations. Our vision is to be the regional leader in live theatre experiences through artistic excellence and innovation.
The Fort Wayne Museum of Art will collect, preserve, and present American and related art to engage and educate broad and diverse audiences throughout the region to add value to their lives.
The Fort Wayne Philharmonic’s mission is to inspire and foster a lifelong love of symphonic music through performance and education. All programming is made possible by the support of community individuals, businesses, corporations and foundations.
The Grand Wayne Convention Center spans two city blocks and offers 225,000 square feet of luxuriously appointed, carpeted, and climate-controlled convention and meeting space with intuitive traffic flow and easy loading bays. Within the Center, planners find a beautifully appointed, 50,000 square foot exhibit and convention hall, 18 meeting rooms, and spacious pre-function areas ready to create the perfect creative backdrop for any event.
The History Center is home to the Allen County-Fort Wayne Historical Society, its museum and collections. Today, it maintains a collection of more than 26,000 artifacts, photographs and documents representing the history of Fort Wayne and Allen County. The largest of these is the very building in which the society has resided since 1980–the 1893 City Hall building.
Spark your imagination at Science Central! Explore 200+ permanent hands-on exhibits and national touring exhibitions, and get fun, educational items in our gift shop. Science Central is a catalyst for learning, and it’s a catalyst for learning the most important subjects that employers will need our kids to know to perform work in the future – science, technology, engineering and math, or as they are commonly called STEM.
What started in a Volkswagen Bus has become America’s No. 1 online retailer of music instruments and pro audio gear–and they’re based right here in Fort Wayne. Whether you’re a polished musician or you just like a good concert, you can find it at Sweetwater. The company’s state-of-the-art campus features a retail store, recording studios, and event space including the Sweetwater Performance Pavilion concert venue. You can even get private lessons for musicians of all ages!
Sweetwater Academy of Music & Technology
When you arrive at the Sweetwater Academy of Music & Technology, you’ll find the finest music educators teaching lessons in everything from guitar and piano to band and orchestra instruments, digital recording, DJing, live sound, and beyond. You’ll also have a chance to participate in our popular music programs, such as Rock Camp, Drum Camp, and Build-a-Band. What began as a dream to open an on-site music school at Sweetwater has blossomed into a vibrant community of musicians and a wide variety of musical disciplines.
Sweetwater Performance Pavilion
The Sweetwater Performance Pavilion is a covered outdoor music venue, located on the south end of the Sweetwater campus in Fort Wayne, Indiana. A host to national touring artists and community events alike, the Sweetwater Performance Pavilion is the perfect place to catch a summer evening concert or host a local event.
The Three Rivers Festival is a family-friendly, exciting nine-day community celebration offering everything from food to fun. Bring your family and friends and enjoy Food Alley, Art in the Park, the Bed Race, the Three Rivers Festival Parade, Trivia Night, Children’s Fest, and so much more! Headwaters Park in the heart of downtown Fort Wayne serves as the hub for over 80 official and affiliated Three Rivers Festival events.