It’s time to amplify the arts, creativity and collaboration.
It’s time to amplify the revitalization of downtown Seattle.
It’s time to amplify Benaroya Hall and everything it does for our community.
With a reimagined Benaroya Hall we can be so much more than a concert hall. We will welcome everyone in the community, transform the visitor experience and enhance the larger creative economy.
We will amplify new possibilities for our future.
In 1998, Benaroya Hall opened its doors with a bold and far-reaching vision: to bring world-class performing art experiences to the entire Puget Sound community and to transform our downtown core.
From the beginning, Benaroya Hall has been a beacon of activity and a spark for change — revitalizing economic, cultural and social activity. Amidst uncertainty around the future of Seattle’s downtown, a group of community leaders came together to change the trajectory of our entire region. Driven by a desire to enrich our community with arts and culture, they rallied our region together to create a forward-looking performance hall unlike any other in the nation.
Today, Benaroya Hall is not only the home to the award-winning Seattle Symphony, but an internationally recognized cultural center and a pillar of our community. For over 25 years, visitors from all sides of town and from all across the globe have come to experience our wide range of experiences — from community partners such as the Key to Change and Seattle Youth Symphony, to world-renowned guests such as Eddie Vedder, Brandi Carlile or Joshua Bell.
Benaroya Hall is at the heart of our community — and at the heart of what comes next in the Puget Sound region.
With each passing day, Benaroya Hall grows its reach and impact across the Puget Sound region:
$2M+ 500K total visitors each year free public programming
2K new visitors each month
Today, more than 25 years after Benaroya Hall first opened its doors, our region is once again in a moment of transformation. From the light rail expansion to the waterfront redevelopment to hosting the World Cup in 2026, our region has embarked on bold civic projects that will cement our region as a global destination and embrace our growing community. We are not only on the verge of rebounding from the pandemic — we are paving a path toward an even brighter future for our entire region.
But we also face major challenges that must be addressed:
• Following a pandemic that devastated the performing arts we need to invest in the future of Benaroya Hall and the greater creative economy. By investing in arts and culture, we will bring life and energy downtown, act as a catalyst for small neighborhood businesses and strengthen our region’s identity as a vibrant and innovative city.
• With our region’s population growing, we need to build a more inclusive community for all — from longestablished members of our region to new members of the Puget sound region. By recommitting ourselves
to welcoming public spaces, we will build a community that encourages collaboration, creativity and connectivity.
• As we embark on historic civic projects that mark a visionary future for our region, it’s time for us to elevate our performing arts offerings for the next generation of audiences, with more diverse programming and modern concert experiences.
Our answer begins with Benaroya Hall — because the performing arts are central to the future of downtown Seattle and our entire region.
“I believe the arts are the lifeblood of thriving communities. Arts experiences build hope and inspiration. The arts inspire people to fight for civil rights. These experiences help us get through the greatest challenges and the pain. I have observed that the arts make a difference in people’s lives and improve the world, one community at a time.
— Mayor Bruce Harrell
Announced in April of 2023, Mayor Bruce Harrell’s Downtown Activation Plan aims to “draw people to the heart of Seattle while designing a downtown of the future that works for everyone, including workers, families, small business owners, neighbors, visitors and tourists.” Our investments in Benaroya Hall, will play an important part in the Plan, especially in the following goals:
• Re-envision downtown as Seattle’s hub for arts, culture, and entertainment.
• Reinvigorate downtown as the commercial heartbeat of the city.
• Make downtown a top destination for visitors from the Puget Sound region and beyond.
