Hylton Performing Arts Center

Audience seated in Merchant Hall at the Hylton Performing Arts Center.

Since opening in 2010, the Hylton Performing Arts Center has become a vibrant cultural hub for Prince William County and the surrounding area. It’s a true success story of civic collaboration, born from a partnership between Prince William County, George Mason University, the City of Manassas, the Commonwealth of Virginia, and private businesses and individuals.  

With its striking mix of copper, glass, and masonry, the 102,000-square-foot center houses three world-class performance venues and an Education and Rehearsal Wing. Here, local arts groups, global performers, and university students come together to create, practice, and perform. Managed by George Mason’s College of Visual and Performing Arts, the Hylton Center is a cornerstone of the arts community, a place where people of all ages and backgrounds can experience the transformative power of art.  

Our Mission 

The Hylton Performing Arts Center stimulates and transforms the cultural and economic vitality of our region by presenting diverse performances and programs of high quality and artistic excellence to inspire, educate, enrich and enhance the community. 

Our Vision

The Hylton Performing Arts Center nurtures artistic excellence and engagement, as we strive to be the creative commons of this dynamic region, inspiring the community to express its voice by participating in thcenter’s work as artists, audiences, and lifelong learners.  

By the Numbers (FY25)

104,486

Foot traffic

623

Total number of facility uses

$11.3M

Hylton Center Endowment Market Value as of November 30, 2025

31,179

Learners of all ages experienced arts education at or through the Hylton Performing Arts Center  

3,987

Number of military-connected individuals served through the Veterans and the Arts Initiative (marking a 65% increase in one year)

3,300

Total volunteer hours

Ticket sales cover just a part of the cost of bringing the magic to the Hylton Center. Generous philanthropic support ensures the Hylton Center can Entertain, Educate, Enrich, and Inspire our community for years to come. 

Priority Funding Needs

Hylton Performing Arts Center Operating Fund 

Welcoming over 100,000 visitors annually, the Hylton Center showcases artists from around the world and around the corner. Performances from the Hylton Presents series, Hylton Family Series, Hylton Center EXTRA!, Matinee Idylls, American Roots Series, and Arts Alliance programming is only made possible through the support of generous donors.

The Education Initiative 

The Hylton Center’s award-winning Education Initiative embodies our commitment to providing free, impactful arts experiences for learners of all ages and economic backgrounds. Serving over 22,000 participants annually through in-person and virtual programming, workshops, and masterclasses, the continued success and expansion of these programs are entirely dependent on sustained and increased philanthropic investment.    

The Veterans and the Arts Initiative 

Since 2015, the Veterans and the Arts Initiative has provided free workshops and concerts to more than 20,000 military-connected individuals. Support provides the necessary funding for this essential outlet of creative expression, community building, and healing specifically designed to meet the unique needs of veterans, servicemembers, and their families.  

Hylton Center Endowment 

Endowments form a key component of successful, sustainable arts organizations, providing reliable annual operating support that allows an institution to plan, dream, innovate, and weather whatever storms the world has in store. Supporting the Hylton Center Endowment strengthens the artists and programs onstage as well as programming offstage and in the community. 

Support the Hylton Performing Arts Center

Contact Us

Carolyn Hays
Director of Development
703-993-4502
[email protected]