Patterson Performing Arts Center

3136 Eastern Avenue,
Baltimore, MD 21224

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Related Websites

Patterson Theater (Official)

Additional Info

Previously operated by: Durkee, F.H., Enterprises

Architects: John J. Zink

Functions: Performing Arts

Styles: Art Deco

Previous Names: Patterson Theater

Phone Numbers: Box Office: 410.276.1651

Nearby Theaters

Patterson Performing Arts Center

The 1,200-seat Patterson Theater is one of Balitmore’s last remaining historic movie houses. Opened in 1930, the John Zink-designed theater was nearly destroyed by fire in 1958, but was saved and continued to show movies for several decades before it closed.

In 1998, the Department of Housing and Urban Development awarded Creative Alliance, a non-profit performing arts group, with a $7.5-million grant to transform the old movie house into the Patterson Center for the Arts.

The renovation/restoration was completed in 2003, and the Patterson Performing Arts Center is now open.

The building now houses the auditorium, a 2,000-square-foot gallery, studios, classrooms, meeting halls, and a cafe.

Contributed by Cinema Treasures

Recent comments (view all 11 comments)

Joe Vogel
Joe Vogel on January 1, 2005 at 5:10 am

The Patterson is no longer closed. It re-opened on May 16th, 2003, as an arts center and theater operated by Creative Alliance

Their web site describes the facility as providing two galleries, a 250 seat flexible theater, a classroom, media lab, offices, and live/work studios for artists. The address is now given as 3134 Eastern Avenue, Baltimore MD 21224, and the telephone number as 410-276-1651. Their e-mail address is

The web site’s brief history of the theater says that there was an earlier Patterson Theater built at the same location in 1910, which was demolished in 1929. The current building was opened in September, 1930, twinned in 1975, and closed in 1995. When opened in 1929, the Patterson was operated by the Grand Theater Company, an affiliate of Durkee Enterprises. The history page also mentions the marquee and the art deco sign, lighted by “a plethora of bulbs,” but it appears to be referring to the blade sign only. At least that feature was able to be saved and restored.

MagicLantern
MagicLantern on April 16, 2005 at 9:22 pm

This theatre’s marquee can be seen with other Baltimore cinemas in John Waters' “Cecil B. Demented” – the marquee advertises “Karate Marathon: All Action All The Time Admission One Dollar”.

kencmcintyre
kencmcintyre on March 16, 2009 at 9:08 am

Here is a March 2009 article from the Baltimore Sun:
http://tinyurl.com/c82jna

WHITEFIELD
WHITEFIELD on October 24, 2009 at 2:24 pm

Here is a photo from the 1987 movie “TIN MEN”, The Patterson Theatre was used in this movie, set in 1963.
View link

spectrum
spectrum on October 4, 2010 at 9:18 am

Another article. The renovation was completed in 2003 and Creative Alliance has been hosting events there ever since. Here’s an article about the renovation.

http://www.armarani.com/proj_pattersontheatre.html

Their official websaite is:

http://www.creativealliance.org/

RickB
RickB on September 3, 2014 at 3:37 pm

If you ever go to the Patterson and find yourself needing to take a bus home, it’s easy to figure out where to wait for one.

DavidZornig
DavidZornig on November 23, 2018 at 8:00 am

Article about the Patterson & others.

https://wamu.org/story/18/11/19/new-exhibition-offers-glimpse-inside-historic-movie-theaters/?fbclid=IwAR0leCU1q7ow-5y25Fu4udGZWKJnD3TwRP3vGENNopBNi09b2nRPxJDuzLs

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