In October 1996, the Mountain Arts Center hosted its grand opening and the cultural fabric of Eastern Kentucky has not been the same since. This beautiful facility, located within a stone's throw of U.S. 23 "Country Music Highway", houses a 1,050 seat theater, several large meeting rooms, a commercial recording/video editing studio, and art gallery.
The Mountain Arts Center has established a reputation throughout a five-state area for presenting the best family entertainment north of Nashville. During its tenure, the MAC has hosted performances by major country and bluegrass stars (Dwight Yoakam, Loretta Lynn, George Jones, Montgomery Gentry, Ricky Skaggs, Patty Loveless, Ralph Stanley, IIIrd Tyme Out, Merle Haggard), rock and roll groups (The Temptations, Percy Sledge, The Platters, The Drifters), gospel greats (The Kingsmen, The Bishops, John Hagee, Dottie Rambo, Steve Green), family theater (Always Patsy Cline, Annie, The King and I, Nutcracker, On Golden Pond), big bands (the Tommy Dorsey and Glenn Miller Orchestras), and many other nationally acclaimed artists...the list seems endless!
And with its state-of-the-art theater, large meeting rooms, expansive lobby and professional staff, the Mountain Arts Center is more than an entertainment venue. The Center has hosted conventions, large and small meetings, receptions, catered dinners, as well as interactive video conferencing to its many users. Moreover, the MAC's diverse educational programming has been attended by over 200,000 school children from throughout the region.
