About Us
The League of Historic American Theatres, Inc., a non-profit membership association, is a professional network dedicated to sustaining America’s historic theatres for the benefit of their communities and future generations.
Founded in 1976 by 42 charter theatre members, the League of Historic American Theatres (LHAT) has grown into a network of more than 300 historic theatres throughout the United States and Canada. Past and current League members have driven the rescue and rehabilitation of hundreds of historic American theatres for more than three decades.
The League of Historic American Theatres envisions these unique showcases for human creativity, arts and culture as vital assets in livable communities throughout North America. We believe that historic theatres are irreplaceable social, economic, historic and cultural resources for their communities. As iconic, creative places of public assembly, they build community loyalty, reinforce community identity and heritage, stimulate downtown revitalization, promote pride of place and anchor creative economies.
Since 2005, the League has been making a transition from an organization best known for a membership which helps save historic theatres to a membership increasingly concerned with the tools, techniques and technologies of sustaining historic theatres at the center of their communities. We want to insure that historic theatres, ones that have been restored through extraordinary community efforts and at considerable expense during the past several decades, can be sustained for the benefit of future generations. By shifting focus to sustainability of operating theatres, the League can better sustain the field and assist emerging theatres. Recognizing issues and challenges unique to operating historic theatres, the League facilitates information exchange among members through peer interaction, conferences, and collaborative projects.
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