The Academy of Music

About Us

Our Mission

The mission of the Academy of Music is to enrich greater Northampton’s quality of life by offering first-class performing arts and film presentations in a historic theatre of national significance, and encouraging the use of the venue for social, educational and professional events; the Academy of Music seeks a broad and diverse audience through its programming and outreach efforts.

The Academy of Music building is owned by the City of Northampton, which received the deed in 1892 from former owner and builder Edward H.R. Lyman. The Academy of Music, Inc., is the operating entity for the building, and it is an independent, private, not-for-profit, 501(c)(3) charitable organization governed by a Board of Trustees. The Northampton Mayor and Smith College President serve on the board, as was Lyman’s wish. The other board members are volunteers who have an interest in the performing arts, in the continued vitality of the City of Northampton, or who have special expertise related to the Academy’s operations.

Our Commitement

The Academy of Music Theatre is committed to supporting our community and taking actions that increase equity and inclusion in our organization and the community.

The arts have always been an important vehicle for people to express and understand diverse perspectives and experiences. Equally important, art can be an agent for change with the ability to shine the spotlight on social inequities.

As a venue for the arts, we seek to sustain an inclusive and equitable space where everyone who walks through our doors feels valued and respected. We recognize that strength comes from diversity, and will work to ensure that patrons, artists, employees, volunteers, vendors/promoters, and community partners feel welcome regardless of race, ethnicity, gender identity, socioeconomic status, sexual orientation, age, ability, religion or other identities.

The Academy recognizes that the path to equity and inclusion is long and steep. We hope that together we can achieve a deeper understanding of prejudice and its impacts to create a better, stronger and more just world. As an organization and as individuals, we need to listen more, and more carefully, to put our collective energy and vision toward uprooting racism, sexism, violence and hate and their destructive legacies.

We will strive to ensure that all voices are heard and shared in a safe environment. We will continually seek opportunities to engage, learn, and discuss topics related to this essential work in order to build a stronger theatre by ensuring that programs and institutional policies reflect our values.

Our Values

The Academy of Music is a values based, non-discriminatory 501c3 organization with the mission enriching the Pioneer Valley’s quality of life by offering first class performing arts and film presentations in a historic theatre of national significance. The Academy of Music Theatre seeks the use of the venue for social, educational, and professional events, and to serve a broad and diverse audience through its programming.In order to carry out this mission, an artistic vision of the Academy of Music includes these goals:

- - - To nurture and sustain community-based organizations and causes that address the needs, concerns and hopes of the Pioneer Valley to serve the widest audience possible while benefiting said organizations and causes.
    - To identify less recognized local and regional performing arts organizations with potential to contribute to the cultural landscape of the Pioneer Valley. To guide and nurture those organizations toward successful projects at the Academy of Music by strategizing optimal costs, using creative solutions to work with other organizations, maximizing impact, building audiences, and networking with like minded arts groups.
    - To identify and present globally and nationally recognized events that address ideas, concerns and hopes that resonate in our community. To affiliate these works of a global/national stature with the work of community based, organizations with the goal of challenging and inspiring audiences with powerful and transformative work.
    - To determine underserved audiences and new audiences that have not yet been developed and craft programming that serves those audiences. Potential area of growth: dance, education, new work, LGBTQ+ work, and BiPoc work.
    - To identify organizations that have a history in our community of creating performing arts of merit in the Pioneer Valley, to invite them to be resident companies, and to provide a home, support, guidance, and consultation to them. To guide and nurture those organizations toward successful projects at the Academy of Music by strategizing optimal costs, using creative solutions to work with other organizations, maximizing impact, and building audiences. To enhance and clarify the branding of the Academy of Music by educating the public that resident companies provide the family within the household of the Academy, and that supporting the Academy supports the resident companies.
    - To produce and present educational programming that offers the opportunity to explore the creative process in a safe and nurturing environment while meeting each child where he, she, they are in their development regardless of experience or ability. To provide a performance home for a variety of performing arts educators and organizations locally, regionally, nationally, and globally.

Karen Grigoryan Photography

David Molnar Photography

David Molnar Photography

Feeding the Community

Finally, the theater provides a major economic impact to the city and surrounding towns. The Academy of Music is downtown Northampton’s leading visitor destination based on not only total ticket sales but also a consistent weekly delivery of patrons visiting downtown Northampton and its shops and restaurants. Please note the following total economic impacts for FY2023 (July 1, 2022 – June 30, 2023):

60,000 patrons with 105 performances and events
$4.92 million in annual spending and purchases:
$1.67 million in ticket sales
$1.2 million in meals and beverages revenues
$1.3 in hotel/motel revenues
$750,000 in hotel guest spending
$284,000 in total tax revenues to State and City
$88,000 in city tax revenues and $196,000 in state tax revenues (meals, hotel, sales tax)

Based on conservative estimates of consumer spending by Academy patrons, it is fair to assume that over a 10 year period, the Academy will generate over $1.8 million in sales, meals and hotel room tax revenues to the state and city.

Reference Sources for Economic Impact Estimates

(1) Ticket sales, attendance and performance numbers are from the Academy
(2) Meals tax is 7.25% (6.25% state portion – 0.75 city portion) www.mass.gov/dor
(3) Hotel tax is 11.75% (5.75% state portion -6% city portion)
(4) Meals purchases are estimated at $35 per person which is cited by ArtsUSA.org
(5) After performance drinks are estimated at $20.00 per person.
(6) Hotel room rate estimate is $125.00 per night with 1.5 guests per room

Methodology for Purchasing Estimates:

In March of 2009, the City of Arlington, Virginia and the Crystal City BID (Business Improvement District) and the Arlington Commission for the Arts issued a report, “The Economic Impact of Theaters in Arlington County, Virginia”

(1) This report analyzed consumer spending before and after a theater performance
(2) And then factored in different percentages of patrons who ate, drank or went home.

This report was based on polling and surveys of patrons who attended Arlington theaters.

Giving Back

Funds raised by the Academy of Music are invested back into neighboring businesses and families. Providing a venue for community to gather, the Academy of Music participates in a number of downtown events, including:

The Northampton Ice Art and Chalk Art Festivals
Arts Night Out
KidsBestFest (co-produced with the Northampton Arts Council)
Gay Pride March

In addition to our own events, the Academy of Music ensures affordable rental rates for numerous local non-profit arts, social and educational organizations by covering the cost through our fundraising efforts. In the same vein, the Academy of Music hall is offered at no rental charge for some traditional community and educational events such as:

First Night Northampton
WGBY57 documentary films
Public school concerts
KidsBestFest and Youth Film
Cinema Northampton

Consulting services for our renters are provided at no cost, helping local artists and arts organizations create a successful production.

Our History

In the late 19th century, Edward H.R. Lyman, a philanthropist and Northampton native, had a vision for a new venue for culture and theater in his hometown. On May 23, 1891, the then 1000-seat Academy of Music Theatre opened its doors to the public for the first time. One year later, Lyman deeded the Academy to the Citizens of Northampton, making it the first municipally owned theater in the nation.

The theater quickly became a favorite stop on tours of leading troupes and big-name performers: legendary French actress Sarah Bernhardt, film star Mae West, and illusionist Harry Houdini all performed at the Academy in the early 20th century.

The Academy evolved over time. With the introduction of film in the 1930s, the Academy screened the latest in silent film, soon followed by talkies, as well as presenting live entertainment. By the 1970s with 800 seats, the theater was regularly screening first-run films. And in the late 1980s, with the introduction of the multiplex, the Academy was faced with creating a new business model.

Today, the Academy of Music has been reclaimed as a venue for live theater, as well as for dance, film, music, and arts education. The Academy is home to resident companies and partners: the Pioneer Valley Ballet, PanOpera, Valley Light Opera, Signature Sounds and WGBY. We are host to annual programs such as Django in June, GEN IV Dance, Berkshire Bach, Rock Voices, Young at Heart Chorus; co-present KidsBestFest and Youth Film; and, act as anchor site of First Night Northampton. We are proud to host the many offerings presented by Dan Small Presents.The Academy continues to present their own slate of national and international artists and stands proudly as one of the most iconic buildings in downtown Northampton.

Memorabilia and Photographs

Also on display in the salon to enjoy in person on your next visit!

During the early twentieth century, the Academy was home to The Northampton Players, the nation’s first municipal stock company, whose cast included William Powell of Thin Man fame and Frank Morgan, who later went on to play Oz in film, The Wizard of Oz. Pictured are former members of the cast.

Calvin Coolidge was the 30th president of the United States from 1923-1929. Prior to his presidency, Coolidge served on the Northampton City Council, Mayor of Northampton, as well as Massachusetts House of Representatives, Massachusetts State Senator, and Governor of Massachusetts.

A letter accepting tickets for a show at the Academy from Calvin Coolidge’s Mayoral Office.

The photo is a staging of a show during the early twentieth century at the Academy. Note the local advertisements used on the set.

Examples of playbills and tickets from the late nineteenth and early twentieth century.

Examples of playbills and tickets from the late nineteenth and early twentieth century.

The revival, “The Matchmaker,” toured the northeast in 1962 and made a stop at the Academy. It was directed by Harold Prince, who went on to direct such Broadway shows as West Side Story, Fiddler on the Roof, Cabaret, Sweeney Todd and Phantom of the Opera.

The items are from a scrapbook saved of the tour at the Academy.

Photo of Bank Night, an evening when prizes were awarded by lottery to audience members at the movies.

Throughout the life of the Academy, the venue experienced a back-and-forth between staged performances and movies. A Daily Hampshire Gazette article shares one of these moments.

An example of an Advance Sheet, which provides technical and logistical information for companies on national tour at the Academy.

Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton attending two James Bond films at the Academy of Music Theatre after finishing their 1965 filming of “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?”

Photo from a performance of “Beauty and the Beast” with Pioneer Valley Ballet, who stages the longest running community performance of “Nutcracker” in the nation.

A photo of the Academy’s auditorium during the years 1980-2000.

Wrappers from the concessions stand during the years 1970-1980.

A photo of the Live-stream 2009 Presidential Inauguration Event ticket January 20, 2009.

In the late 19th century, Edward H.R. Lyman, a philanthropist and Northampton native, had a vision for a new venue for culture and theater in his hometown.

On May 23, 1891, the then 1000-seat Academy of Music Theatre opened its doors to the public for the first time. One year later, Lyman deeded the Academy to the Citizens of Northampton, making it the first municipally owned theater in the nation.

Lyman Photo:
L to R front: Mrs. Edward H.R. Lyman, Jean White (granddaughter), Mr. Edward H.R. Lyman, Catherine White (granddaughter) L to R back: Frank Lyman (son), Mrs. Anne Jean Lyman White (daughter), Mr. Alfred Frederick White (son-in-law)

Typewritten copy of deed – Click Here

Documents About the Theatre

The documents linked to this page provide information about the organization of and business plans of the Academy of Music Theatre, Inc. All of these documents are saved as PDFs. To view them, you will need the Acrobat Reader, which can be downloaded for free from the Adobe Web site at Adobe.com. Click a link below to read the document.

Mission Statement

Artistic Vision Statement

2024-2027 Strategic Plan Summary

Form 990 – 2024

Theatre Deed