The Straz Center is a cornerstone in the cultural and economic life of the greater Tampa Bay area.  Lying on a 9-acre site on the Hillsborough River, it is the largest performing arts center south of Washington D.C.’s John F. Kennedy Center. Opened in 1987 as the Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center, the venue was renamed in 2009 to honor the generosity of its largest donor (and one of Tampa’s foremost philanthropists) David A. Straz, Jr.

The Straz features a variety of concerts, performances and events, and is home to local performing arts companies Opera Tampa and Jobsite Theater, in addition to a number of other organizations.  The Broadway series at the Straz is one of the region’s foremost, and its new “Broadway Genesis Project” premieres and promotes plays and musicals with hopes of moving on to Broadway.

The Center facility contains five separate venues, seating between 2,600 (Carol Morsani Hall) and 130 (Shimberg Playhouse).  Its resident performing arts school, Patel Conservatory, offers pre-professional and continuing education programs in music, drama and dance, taught by active area professionals.