Paramount Theater

The Historic Paramount Theatre is owned and operated by Austin Area Arts, an independent 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that also operates the Austin ArtWorks Center and hosts the annual Austin ArtWorks Festival. The theatre served the community as a first-run movie house from 1929 to 1975, was bought and sold several times, and was abandoned when Austin Area Arts purchased it in 1990. It was restored to its 1929 design as a functioning performing-arts theatre and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It currently presents live music, comedy, dance, and movies year-round.

Austin Area Commission for the Arts—now doing business as Austin Area Arts—was established as a nonprofit organization in 1992 with a mission to advance the arts in Austin. Its first project was to restore the Historic Paramount Theatre to its 1929 design and establish it as a center for performing arts. After serving the community as a first-run movie house from 1929 to 1975, the theatre had been bought and sold several times and was abandoned when Austin Area Arts purchased it in 1990. Through the hard work of volunteers and the generosity of donors, the Paramount Theatre was restored as a functioning theatre for the performing arts. It currently presents live music, comedy, dance, and movies year-round and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

1. 1About Us | Austin (MN) Area Artsaustinareaarts.org
2. 2Support Us | Austin (MN) Area Artsaustinareaarts.org
3. 3Austin Area Arts - Creativity and Inspiration for Austin, Minnesotaaustinareaarts.org
4. 4Calendar | Austin (MN) Area Artsaustinareaarts.org