Arts
The City offers a vibrant and varied arts community. Residents can enjoy several options when it comes to music, dance and theatre venues. Here are just a few.
The Acrosstown Repertory Theatre might well be described as Gainesville's Off-Broadway. The 80-seat community theatre is the home of experimental, avant-garde, and often cross-cultural productions. The Center for Performing Arts is Gainesville's center for theatre, music and dance performances. Home to several local performance groups, the Center also hosts Broadway touring companies, opera, symphony orchestras and nationally-known performers.
Dance Alive! is a professional ballet company that performs locally as well as nationally. The Gainesville Ballet Theatre has a repertoire of classical ballet, children's ballet, jazz and modern dance which performs two ballets each season. The Gainesville Chamber Symphony has distinguished itself as the central body of music in Gainesville. The 35-member orchestra performs several shows each season.
On a side musical note, Gainesville is also fairly well-known as having an active punk and ska music scene. A number of bands including Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, Less Than Jake, The Usuals, The Know How, Hot Water Music, Against Me!, Sister Hazel, Roach Motel, and For Squirrels were spawned in Gainesville.