Antigua and Barbuda will make history on Friday, October 23, 2026, with the official opening of the National Performing Arts Centre (NPAC), the country’s first state-owned performing arts theatre. Situated at the corner of High Street and Cross Street in St. John’s, the Centre marks a significant investment in the nation’s cultural infrastructure and a defining milestone in the development of its Orange Economy.

More than a new cultural venue, NPAC gives tangible form to a longstanding national vision: a place where Antigua and Barbuda’s artistic talent can flourish, its stories can be told and its cultural identity can reach audiences at home and abroad. The Centre also creates opportunities to strengthen performing arts education, encourage collaboration and support the creative sector’s contribution to employment, enterprise and economic development.

The project reflects the Government of Antigua and Barbuda’s continued commitment, under the leadership of Prime Minister the Right Honourable Gaston A. Browne, to expanding the country’s cultural infrastructure and positioning creativity as an integral part of national development.

Prime Minister the Right Honourable A. Gaston Browne described the Centre as both a cultural investment and an economic opportunity for the nation, emphasising its potential to empower creatives and strengthen Antigua and Barbuda’s tourism offering.

“Our culture is not merely part of our identity; it is an economic asset that can strengthen our experiential tourism product, create revenue and showcase the best of Antigua and Barbuda to the world. With the opening of the National Performing Arts Centre, we are giving our artists a stage, our young people a platform to hone their skills, and our creative arts a home.”

The Prime Minister also highlighted the transformation of the former Deluxe Cinema into a national facility dedicated to music, dance, theatre and storytelling, noting its importance in preserving the nation’s heritage, creating economic opportunities and nurturing future generations of creatives.

For Ambassador Elizabeth Makhoul, Chairperson of the Antigua and Barbuda Festivals Commission(ABFC), the opening marks a pivotal moment for the country’s creative industry.

“Seeing theNationalPerformingArtsCentrecometogetherisaprofoundandhistoricmomentforAntiguaand Barbuda. What stands beforeus ismorethan abuilding;itistherealization of avision that recognizes thevalueofourculture,thepowerofourcreativepeopleandthepossibilitiesthatarisewhenweinvest inournationalpotential.ThisCentregivesourartistsaplacetoaspireto,ouryoungpeopleaspaceto discover their abilities and our nation a platformto shareits storieswith theworld. Its truelegacywill be measured not only by the performances it hosts but also by the opportunities it creates and the generations of creatives it inspires.”

The Antigua and Barbuda Festivals Commission (ABFC) will oversee the management of the National Performing Arts Centre, an approximately 850-seat facility dedicated to advancing the nation’s performing arts and creative industries. Organizations, promoters and individuals interested in facility rentals or advertising opportunities on the Centre’s digital screens are invited to contact the NPAC management team at NPAC@ab.gov.ag or 1 (268) 727-5436 for further information.

As the Centre opens its doors, Antigua and Barbuda takes an important step towards a future in which the arts are supported not only as an expression of national heritage, but also as a driver of opportunity, innovation and international cultural exchange.

The National Performing Arts Centre is a stage for the nation’s talent, a home for its stories and an investment in the generations who will shape its creative future. Guided by the theme, “Bring Our Culture. Shape Our Identity,” the Centre stands as a powerful expression of Antigua and Barbuda’s cultural heritage, creative potential and national identity.

This article was originally published by Antigua News Room. Read the original article here: Antigua and Barbuda Opens National Performing Arts Centre, Advancing a New Era for the Orange Economy.