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Future of the Keller Auditorium

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Interior photo of Keller Auditorium featuring red theater seats
An effort is underway to plan for the future of premier performing arts in Portland, and multiple possibilities are taking shape.

Latest news

January 23, 2025:
Project updates from the Future of Keller team
Since the exploration of two Broadway-capable venues in Portland was greenlit by City Council in October 2024, the Future of Keller team has been hard at work making progress towards the project's goals. The following updates highlight progress underway for the Future of Keller:

October 10, 2024: 
City Council unanimously approves resolution on the future of the Keller Auditorium
On Oct. 10, City Council unanimously approved a resolution on the future of the Keller Auditorium that included a two Broadway-capable-venue strategy. Other components of the resolution included collaboration with Portland State University, a project-steering committee, and a traffic study to explore development of Third Avenue.

August 9, 2024:
City Council to ask Keller Auditorium teams for cohesive vision, addressing community needs and strengthening downtown’s arts and economic future
On Aug. 14, following more than a month of public engagement on the future of Portland’s largest performing arts facility, City leaders will ask Keller Auditorium project teams to collaborate on a larger vision, considering community needs, strengthening arts and culture and revitalizing downtown.

Possibilities for Keller Auditorium's future take shape

As the City and its partners plan for future investments in the Portland’5 theaters, they are collaborating on possibilities for Keller Auditorium - ensuring safety standards are met and that large-scale productions can continue long into the future, creating ways to gather and collaborate across organizational silos and ensure our city and state maintains a vibrant arts and culture hub.

The Keller is the only performance space in the greater Portland area that can host large-scale theatrical performances, and like most older civic buildings, it was not built to withstand a major earthquake. A 2020 seismic report provides a preliminary analysis of renovations needed to meet modern safety standards. Guest amenities, backstage facilities, and mechanical and production systems are also outdated, creating a competitive disadvantage. 

A look at three possibilities

Renovating the Keller or building a new venue are options that would require significant time, investment, collaboration and tradeoffs.

In 2023, a privately led effort to propose a Keller Auditorium renovation design was completed while the City and its partners also looked at possibilities for a new large-scale performing arts facility. A request for expression of interest from property-owners across Portland resulted in the selection of Lloyd Center and Portland State University as sites to explore for a possible new venue. 

All three proposals - one for renovating Keller Auditorium and two for building a new performing arts facility - were formally presented at the end of May, and Portland City Council will consider a variety of factors to guide decision making, including site compatibility, cost, constructability, economic impacts, partnership opportunities, stakeholder feedback and community input. 

A map of Downtown Portland showing three locations for concepts of new or existing performing arts facilities: Lloyd Center, Portland State University and Keller Auditorium.
Three concepts are under development for the future of premier performing arts in Portland: renovating the existing Keller Auditorium or building a new facility at Lloyd Center or Portland State University.

New facility | Lloyd Center
Lloyd Center is refining their proposal for a new performing arts venue. All three final concepts were presented to Portland City Council May 29, 2024.  

View draft proposal

View May 29 City Council materials


New facility | Portland State University
Portland State University is refining their proposal for a new performing arts venue. All three final concepts were presented to Portland City Council May 29, 2024. 

View draft proposal

View May 29 City Council materials


Renovate existing facility | Keller Auditorium 
A Keller Auditorium renovation study, developed by Halprin Landscape Conservancy, was presented to Portland City Council in September 2023 and to Metro Council in February 2024. All three final concepts were presented to Portland City Council May 29, 2024. 

View final renovation concept

View May 29 City Council materials

Project timeline

May 2024New facility conceptual designs complete
May 2024Independent cost analysis for new facility and renovation concepts complete
May 29, 2024New facility and renovation concepts presented to Portland City Council
June 2024Community engagement
Summer 2024Portland City Council considers all factors and determines next steps

Stay up to date

To stay up to date on arts and culture in the City of Portland—and on Keller Auditorium—sign up to receive updates from the Office of Arts & Culture:

Sign up for updates

Related documents


Event and ticket information

For information on upcoming events, purchasing tickets and planning your trip to Keller Auditorium, visit Portland'5 Centers for the Arts.

Portland'5 Keller Auditorium


Keller Auditorium Background

Since the completion of construction in 1917, Portlanders have packed the Keller Auditorium to see shows, operas, ballets and civic events.

Owned by the City of Portland and operated by Portland'5 Centers for the Arts, Keller Auditorium, often simply called, "the Keller," is one of many popular spectator and performing arts venues overseen by the City of Portland Office of Arts & Culture.

The Keller plays an essential role in Portland’s arts community, providing the only local space for large-scale performances such as Broadway productions, ballet, operas and more. Keller Auditorium generates half the revenue for Metro’s Portland’5 theaters and helps make smaller, local productions feasible, affordable and accessible.


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