Virginia Samford Theatre

History:
In 1999, UAB announced plans to close and sell the theatre, and a beloved Birmingham landmark was about to disappear. However, the Metroplitan Arts Council stepped forward to restore the landmark building. The theatre has now 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 of Birmingham leaders have 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 awarded the 2003 Preservation Award by the Birmingham Historical Society.

Artists and performers are drawn to showcase their talents. 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 four 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.