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120 Morris St. Downtown Durham

DAC Facility

The Durham Arts Council building features 4 galleries, 2 theatres with support spaces, outdoor terraces and gardens, meeting rooms, rehearsal spaces and studios for digital arts, dance, photography, clay, fiber arts, visual arts and children’s art, and the offices of 9 arts organizations.

Renting Space at DAC

Whether you’re planning a board meeting for 5 people or conference for 300, a wedding or birthday party, dance performance or jazz concert, we have a variety of rooms and options to accommodate your needs.

We are committed to helping you realize your goals and create your ideal event within our space. We strive to make our facility accessible to the community through flexible options for combining spaces and adding amenities such as furniture, kitchen access, and AV equipment.

Birdseye view of the pavilion with a large group of wedding guests dancing in a circle formation
3 women dressed in all cream with their arms raised performing a contemporary dance in front of a dark blue background with a washing line in the background and red and multicolored rags hanging from above
Two people stand on a stage presenting a slideshow to a theatre audience

PSI Theatre

One of the best small performance venues in the Triangle area, PSI Theatre is on the upper level of the Durham Arts Council building just beyond Semans Gallery. PSI Theatre is perfect for a theater, musical or dance performance, film screening, seminar, lecture, pageant, or other business and community meetings.

PSI Theatre features upholstered, raked, tiered seating for an audience of 174, with flexibility to add an additional front row. The stage is a flat grey Marley floor. PSI Theatre has two medium sized dressing rooms, which are included with all rentals, featuring restrooms and dressing/make-up areas. There are also two large dressing rooms that feature showers and additional dressing/makeup areas. The adjacent Duke Power Rehearsal Hall may be rented for use as a Greenroom. Semans Gallery may be rented for use as a reception space for Theatre events.

Our technician can help you with planning light and sound for your production and will ensure things run smoothly come show time, allowing you to focus productively on other aspects of your event.

Room Rentals

The DAC Building contains a wide variety of multifunction rooms which can be rented alone, or in combination, giving you the capability to create a truly unique event experience.

Host your function within one of our two curated art galleries for a one of a kind experience, or utilize our versatile private function rooms for a more intimate affair. We also have small meeting rooms and rehearsal spaces. DAC has a variety of furniture and equipment that can be added to rentals, or feel free to bring your own items in or rent from one of Durham’s many reputable rental companies. The entire building is covered by free public WiFi for your convenience.

A woman leading a meeting smiles and extends her arms to the camera in front of the room full of meeting participants
Picture of 3 people taking a selfie using fun props in front of a sparkly backdrop
Two women dressed in black shorts and flowing tops dance in the corner of a clean dance studio in front of windows
Two women dressed in green shorts and flowing tops dance in the corner of a clean dance studio in front of windows

Dance Studios

Durham Arts Council has two dance studios available for utilization by the hour during times that the studio is not in use by DAC grantees or classes.

Our dance studios can be rented at a rate of $35 per hour. Advance registration and payment is required.

Both DAC dance studios were renovated in 2011 with sprung Marley floors and have ballet barres, floor to ceiling mirrors and a sound system.

  • Rollins 1,464 sq. ft.
  • Wachovia 1,425 sq. ft.

Policies

Dance studios are only available to rent for rehearsing, choreography, or small informal showcases. Restrictions include:

  • Dance studios are not available to rent for public classes.
  • No tap shoes, flamenco shoes or high heels allowed.
  • No chairs or other furniture permitted.
View of the Durham Arts Council building at night, the pavilion to the front of the building is lit pale blue from the inside.

For more information