In 1999, UAB announced plans to close and sell the theatre, and a beloved Birmingham landmark was about to disappear. However, the Metropolitan Arts Council stepped forward to restore the landmark building. The theatre has been given a new name, Virginia Samford Theatre, in honor of their generous donor Virginia Samford Donovan, who provided the funds to MAC for the purchase. MAC and a committee o
f Birmingham leaders launched a $3,000,000 capital campaign, Center Stage for the Arts, to preserve this treasured historic structure and to provide Birmingham with a tremendous new resource - The Metropolitan Arts Center and the Virginia Samford Theatre. The Theatre was re-opened in May 2002 and was awarded the Preservation Award by the Birmingham Historical Society. The Virginia Samford Theatre now serves as a beacon for local talent and performers are drawn to showcase their creativity. Local non-profit or community groups hold meetings in the facility, and citizens and corporations find this venue an intimate gathering place for weddings, receptions and private functions. MAC is headquartered in the Arts Center, which currently houses small arts groups in the "Arts Incubator". With this broad spectrum of uses available to everyone in the community, the Metropolitan Arts Center and the Virginia Samford Theatre play a major cultural role in Birmingham's future.
