GPAC

Twenty-one years ago, GPAC began a tradition of excellence in the arts with a performance by the legendary Ray Charles. Today, GPAC is the place where all the major artists, in many different genres, come together to perform. From Yo-Yo Ma to Wynton Marsalis, Dave Brubeck to Joan Baez, Joshua Bell to Ravi Shankar, Alvin Ailey Dance Theater to Mikhail Baryshnikov, It's Happening at GPAC!

The GPAC mission is to serve the community by presenting the highest quality artistic endeavors to engage, enrich and transform. We are an acoustically perfect, 864 seat venue featuring a main stage, an intimate black box theater, an elegant patron lounge, spacious dressing rooms and a lobby gallery for entertaining and assembling. Located in the heart of Shelby County, GPAC welcomes 64,000 citizens to our theater annually for performances, educational activities, visual art exhibits and community events. GPAC benefits from the infrastructure of a professional organization that possesses a clear direction, strong financial health, and a committed board of directors, dedicated staff, and volunteers. In all of its endeavors - quality and array of artists presented, educational programs, marketing initiatives, fund raising efforts, financial viability, community involvement, reaching underserved audiences - GPAC works diligently to fulfill its mission.

GPAC provides a full subscription series of performances each season, as well as a rehearsal/performance venue for many arts groups, including the IRIS Orchestra, Memphis Symphony Orchestra, Opera Memphis, Germantown Symphony Orchestra, and Germantown Chorus.

GPAC has a strong commitment to education and engages an Educational Outreach Coordinator dedicated to developing and expanding GPAC's overall community education/outreach. As a result, over the last five years educational programming has grown by 279% including new programs like per-ballet classes, Suzuki music, adult ArtSavvy art experiences, guitar, GPAC Journeys, and summer dance/art camps. Additionally, two years ago, GPAC founded a youth symphony with 35 student musicians. Today, the program has approximately 105 members ages 7 to 19 and performs twice yearly on the GPAC stage. It is a full orchestra consisting of strings, winds, brass, percussion, harp, and keyboard. One of its goals is to expose the students to performing and learning opportunities abroad. As such, the youth orchestra just completed a cultural and educational tour of China.

The Jazz in the Box (JIB) series was introduced in the 2006/2007 season to sold out audiences. This popular little jazz club is held in GPAC's Black Box Theatre on the third Friday of the month and to date has served nearly 3,500 patrons. Following on the heels of the success of JIB, we are introducing The Music Box featuring some of the most exciting classical musicians in the region also in the casual intimacy of GPAC's Black Box.

GPAC's celebrated Peanut Butter & Jam (PBJ) music education program marks its 16th season with exciting programs to introduce children, ages 8 and under, to a wide variety of musical instruments and styles. Sessions are held on select Saturday mornings throughout the concert season. Attendance at PBJ has increased three-fold.