Ware Center for the Arts

Ware Center for the Arts The Ware Center for the Arts is Lancaster’s premier visual and performing arts center and events venue. Need a venue for your next corporate or family event?

The Ware Center for the Arts is Millersville University's visual and performing arts center in downtown Lancaster, PA, that hosts performances, gallery exhibits, films, arts camps, education programs, and more! Owned and operated by Millersville University, the Ware Center seeks to foster creativity and appreciation for the arts through a diverse offering of inclusive multicultural performances, a

rt exhibits, documentary films, community events, and programs for children and families. At the Ware Center, we believe that the arts are for everyone! Each season, we seek to present the most diverse, inclusive, and accessible arts experiences in the region, celebrating the great mosaic of cultures that make up the Lancaster region—and our world. Our concert venue, banquet and conference spaces, and classrooms are available to rent throughout the year. Enjoy your next fundraising gala, conference, board meeting, party, community event, or wedding reception in our stunning facility. Located in the heart of historic downtown Lancaster, PA, our beautiful venue is only a block from Central Market, just down the street from the Fulton Theatre and Gallery Row, and within walking distance to a variety of local shops and restaurants. Parking is available across the street in the Colonial lot or the Prince Street parking garage. Come and see us!

🎭 Lancaster Fringe Fest Series: Part 3 of 3Closing out our Fringe Fest series was a celebration of movement, cultural tr...
06/05/2026

🎭 Lancaster Fringe Fest Series: Part 3 of 3

Closing out our Fringe Fest series was a celebration of movement, cultural tradition, and artistic expression with a performance by Amira.

Drawing on years of experience across multiple styles of belly dance, Amira brought together a rich fusion of techniques that highlighted the depth and diversity of this global art form.

Thank you for joining us in exploring the variety, creativity, and impact of this year’s Lancaster Fringe Fest. ✨

Due to external and internal infrastructure repairs, the Ware Center is closed this June, but First Friday is on! Voices...
06/04/2026

Due to external and internal infrastructure repairs, the Ware Center is closed this June, but First Friday is on! Voices of Migration is relocating to the Lancaster Convention Center lobby.

Join SACA in celebrating the journeys of Lancaster’s immigrant communities through an evening of art, oral histories, and monarch butterflies.

Event highlights:
🌱 Free native milkweed seeds
🦋 Coloring art for kids
🎨 Meet local artists

We're sorry for the inconvenience, but we hope you will stop by the Convention Center to support our friends at SACA and check out this wonderful event!

🎭 Lancaster Fringe Fest Series: Part 2 of 3At the heart of this year’s festival was a powerful gathering of remembrance,...
06/03/2026

🎭 Lancaster Fringe Fest Series: Part 2 of 3

At the heart of this year’s festival was a powerful gathering of remembrance, Flowers for Ty: A Celebration of the Life of Ty Gant.

More than a Fringe Fest performance, this event was a tribute to a life that left an unforgettable mark on Lancaster’s arts community. Ty Gant—poet, performer, educator, and mentor—dedicated himself to uplifting young voices. Through his work with M-Uth Theatre at the Ware Center, The Mix at Arbor Place, and the We Rock the Mic program, Ty inspired countless individuals to find confidence, connection, and purpose through the arts.

The celebration brought together people whose lives Ty touched to honor his kindness, his passion, and the lasting impact of his work. In true Fringe Fest spirit, it was a reminder that art has the power to connect people in ways that last far beyond our time on this earth.

Stay tuned for Part 3 as we highlight one more unforgettable experience from this year’s Lancaster Fringe Fest. ✨

🎭 Lancaster Fringe Fest Series: Part 1 of 3The Ware Center's first year as a host for the Fringe Fest began with Living ...
06/01/2026

🎭 Lancaster Fringe Fest Series: Part 1 of 3

The Ware Center's first year as a host for the Fringe Fest began with Living the Experience, a show highlighting important local history that should never stay on the fringe.

For 28 years, this immersive program has been bringing the history of the Underground Railroad in Lancaster to life. Through first-person storytelling, spirituals, and deeply human performances, audiences are invited to step into the lives of those who passed through this “station” in search of freedom.

Presented in partnership with Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church, Living the Experience honors the strength, resilience, and community of a free Black population in Lancaster, while illuminating the risks, courage, and faith that defined the Underground Railroad.

Stay tuned for Part 2 as we continue exploring the variety, creativity, and impact of this year’s Lancaster Fringe Fest. ✨

The Ware Center was filled with creativity, pride, and joyful celebration this past weekend during the School District o...
05/21/2026

The Ware Center was filled with creativity, pride, and joyful celebration this past weekend during the School District of Lancaster Student Art Show 🎨✨

From colorful paintings and detailed drawings to imaginative mixed-media creations, the galleries came alive with the work of talented young artists from across the district.

One of the most special parts of the event was watching students proudly share their artwork with family and friends while our community came together to celebrate creativity, self-expression, and the next generation of artists here in Lancaster.

Young artists of Lancaster: keep making this city a more beautiful and inspiring place 💛

If you attended the show, we’d love to hear your favorite part of the day—or see your photos in the comments!

Stop by and see us this weekend during the Lancaster Art Walk!🎨 Saturday, May 16 • 10AM–5PM🖼️ Sunday, May 17 • 12PM–4PMC...
05/12/2026

Stop by and see us this weekend during the Lancaster Art Walk!

🎨 Saturday, May 16 • 10AM–5PM
🖼️ Sunday, May 17 • 12PM–4PM

Check out Lancaster City Art Collective for a full list of stops! Grab your friends, lace up your walking shoes, and explore Lancaster’s incredible art scene.

The talent of up-and-coming artists in our region was on full display during a gorgeous First Friday in May ☀️While our ...
05/04/2026

The talent of up-and-coming artists in our region was on full display during a gorgeous First Friday in May ☀️

While our friends from Lancaster Pride hosted a cozy evening of creative activities for all ages, we debuted a stunning new gallery exhibit by high school senior Kenston Lafleur and listened to a vibey outdoor concert by singer/songwriter (and Tell School of Music student) Brahm Bean.

Our We the People First Friday series shines a light into creative corners of our community that deserve notice. This month was no exception! Thank you to the young artists and community members who made our corner of Gallery Row brighter.

Immersive, imaginative, and a little bit magical ✨ South Korea's BRUSH Theatre brought wonder and the whimsy to the kids...
04/29/2026

Immersive, imaginative, and a little bit magical ✨ South Korea's BRUSH Theatre brought wonder and the whimsy to the kids of Lancaster with Doodle POP! With interactive whiteboard drawings, live music, audience participation, and plenty of slapstick, the show "sparked creativity, curiosity, and joy" among our young audiences (and the adults, too!).

A special thank you to the City Limits Foundation, whose support allowed us to offer the show to hundreds of local kids free of cost during a special school-day performance! 💛

📸 Photos by Taylor Ann Photography

If you draw it, they will come 🎨Our massive ocean-themed doodle mural, kick-started by Lancaster muralist Terian L. Mack...
04/28/2026

If you draw it, they will come 🎨

Our massive ocean-themed doodle mural, kick-started by Lancaster muralist Terian L. Mack, was a huge, colorful hit with the young artists who came to Doodle POP this weekend!

The collaborative art project got us all ready for the show, which followed a mischievous doodling duo into an imaginative, watery world full of laughs and wonder.

Thank you to Terian Mack, the City Limits Foundation, and all of our pre-show community partners for making the experience so magical for the kids: Ambassadors for Hope, Millersville ECHO, Millersville University ERCH classes, Handwork House, Lancaster Public Library, PA Migrant Education Lancaster, and the Selahart Group!

📸 Photos by Taylor Ann Photography

We regret that, due to circumstances well beyond our control, our Family Fun Fest, Baobab, has been cancelled for this F...
04/27/2026

We regret that, due to circumstances well beyond our control, our Family Fun Fest, Baobab, has been cancelled for this Friday, May 1. However, our community has stepped up to make First Friday a true celebration of creativity, connection, and Pride! 🌈

🎨 Pride & Create • 6:30 PM • Join Lancaster Pride in creative activities that celebrate Pride and self-expression, including a collaborative community art piece.

🎙️ Brahm Bean • 6:30 PM • Enjoy a free outdoor performance from singer/songwriter Brahm Bean, a music student at Millersville University.

🖼️ "The Light in the Dark" by Kenston Lafleur • 5-8 PM • Celebrate the opening of a new art exhibit by a talented young Lancaster artist.

Address

42 N Prince Street
Lancaster, PA
17603

Opening Hours

Monday 8:30am - 4:30pm
Tuesday 8:30am - 4:30pm
Wednesday 8:30am - 4:30pm
Thursday 8:30am - 4:30pm
Friday 8:30am - 4:30pm

Telephone

+17178717018

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Ware Center for the Arts posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Share