02/17/2026
An Open Letter and Public Statement from Harrisburg Midtown Art Center (HMAC) to Harrisburg City Council, Mayor Wanda Williams, City Solicitor Neil Grover, and the Community of Harrisburg
It is with profound regret and a heavy heart that we announce the impending closure of the Harrisburg Midtown Art Center (HMAC). This outcome follows the decision by the City of Harrisburg to deny and refuse renewal of essential operating licenses, including our health license and mercantile license. Without these, and in accordance with requirements from the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board, HMAC is legally prohibited from continuing operations.
This decision was made despite repeated, good-faith efforts by HMAC’s ownership and legal representatives to engage city leadership in meaningful dialogue. Our attorneys reached out multiple times, seeking communication, negotiation, or resolution. We offered a substantial partial payment towards outstanding “entertainment tax” obligations, along with a structured plan to resolve the remaining balance responsibly and in full. These efforts were met with silence. Requests for meetings went unanswered. Formal correspondence received no reply. The absence of engagement left us with the unavoidable conclusion that resolution was never meaningfully pursued.
We acknowledge that entertainment tax is owed. This city-enforced tax—10% on every show and every ticket sold—is applied regardless of whether a venue operates at a profit. While we do not dispute our responsibility, the reality is that live entertainment venues across the nation were devastated by the COVID-19 pandemic, prolonged shutdowns, and the lasting pressures of inflation. HMAC endured those hardships, not by abandoning its obligations, but by fighting to recover, reinvest, and honor them.
In fact, HMAC was preparing to undertake a $2 million renovation that would have revitalized the building, created jobs for local contractors at prevailing wages, generated permit revenue, and reinvested millions directly into the local economy. This was not merely a construction project—it was a commitment to the future of this city and its creative economy.
Instead, the denial of licenses has forced closure and resulted in the immediate loss of jobs. Bartenders, security personnel, lighting and sound technicians, production crews, and administrative staff—many of whom dedicated years of loyal service—now face sudden uncertainty. Independent promoters, artists, and small local businesses who depended on HMAC as a platform have also been deeply affected. The consequences extend far beyond one building. They reach into families, livelihoods, and the cultural fabric of our community.
For 15 years , HMAC has been more than a business. It has been a home for artists, a stage for expression, and a gathering place for connection. It has brought music, poetry, theater, art, performance, and shared experience to thousands. It has drawn visitors who supported neighboring restaurants, hotels, and small businesses. It has stood as a symbol of creativity, resilience, and community investment—even during the most uncertain times.
We are left with difficult and troubling questions. Why was there no willingness to communicate? Why was there no effort to pursue a solution that preserved jobs, protected a cultural institution, and allowed responsible repayment? Why was there no recognition of the broader economic and human cost of this outcome?
We ask city leadership and the community to reflect on what this loss represents. This is not simply the closure of a venue. It is the loss of a creative cornerstone, a place where memories were made, careers were launched, and community was strengthened.
Despite this outcome, HMAC remains open to constructive dialogue. We remain willing to engage in good faith to explore any viable path forward—one grounded in fairness, communication, and mutual respect. We believe collaboration, not silence, builds stronger cities.
To our employees, artists, partners, and supporters: thank you. You gave HMAC its life, its voice, and its purpose. Whatever the future holds, the spirit of what was built here will endure in every life it touched.
Respectfully, HMAC Ownership and Partners
Media Inquiries: [email protected] [email protected]
Mayor's Office
Mayor Wanda Williams
MLK Jr. City Government Center
10 North 2nd Street, Suite 202
Harrisburg, PA 17101, USA
Phone 717 255-3040
Email [email protected]
