This year, the Empire Arts Center is celebrating 100 years since first opening as Grand Forks' finest movie house in 1919. A century later, we are still flourishing as the center of arts and culture in Grand Forks. With over 30,000 annual visitors and a building that is in use 300+ nights per year, the Empire has remained a staple of our community.

As we continually strive to be the best possible facility for our artists and audiences, we face many ongoing challenges that come alongside the maintenance of a one-hundred-year-old building. In an effort to keep costs as low as possible for the many local community groups that use our theater, we rely on donors like you to help us subsidize the costs of much-needed maintenance. This year, projects like replacing our wireless microphones (recently rendered illegal due to FCC frequency changes) and updating our frayed, 21-year-old carpet top our list.

Gifts of $10 or more are matched 1:1 on Giving Hearts Day. Double your impact and help the Empire continue on into the next century!