Located in the Fairlie-Poplar district at the heart of downtown Atlanta, the Rialto Center for the Arts is the official performing arts center of Georgia State University (GSU). Its main feature is the Rialto Series, a season-length event series featuring a wide array of musical, dance and theatrical performances, as well as comedy and spoken word. The Rialto Center also hosts all of GSU’s School of Music ensembles, the Atlanta Film Festival, and more. It is a first-class, state-of-the-art performance venue featuring enhanced acoustics, proscenium stage, orchestra pit and 833 seats.
The venue began in 1916 as a 925-seat movie house, then the largest in the Southeast. After surviving the Great Depression and subsequent decades, it was torn down in 1962 and a new movie house built on the same location. Closed in 1989 due to a declining economy, the Rialto received a new lease on life when GSU’s School of Music relocated its facilities to downtown Atlanta. After several years of fundraising, the Rialto Center opened in 1996 as the cultural center of downtown Atlanta.
Rialto Center for the Arts Information
- Public Transportation: Poor
- Handicapped Accessibility: Good
- Performances/Programs: Approximately 15 productions in the Rialto Series (Jan-April). Other events include Georgia State student performances and the Atlanta Film Festival.
- Ticket Prices: Varies widely (free-$75) depending on event and seating.
