The Fort Wayne Philharmonic officially returned to downtown with Friday’s grand opening of the new Philharmonic Center.
The new center is located on the corner of Ewing and Wayne streets, creating a home for musicians and a permanent space for orchestral music in the center of the city.
Philharmonic Center Executive Director Abby Cleveland said in a statement the center is “a stage built for artists who want to be close to their audience.”
The Philharmonic purchased the 100-year-old building in 2024, previously the St. Francis University Business Center, and has transformed it into a music venue, event space and home for musicians.
The renovated building features two performance spaces, which double as event venues for rentals, as well as storage for musicians, administrative offices and the clothing boutique Fringe & Form.
The Center celebrated the opening with a ribbon cutting ceremony Friday and a concert with pianist Jodie DeSalvo in the evening. The venue has already announced the rest of its 2026 season, which includes seven concerts.
The Fort Wayne Philharmonic is a financial supporter of 89.1 WBOI.
