REDCAT, Arts center in Downtown Los Angeles, United States.
REDCAT is an arts center and theater in Downtown Los Angeles, located within the Walt Disney Concert Hall complex and focused on experimental work across performing and visual arts. The building holds a flexible theater with dark walls seating around 250 people and a gallery space used for rotating exhibitions.
The center opened in 2003 as an urban outpost of the California Institute of the Arts, giving contemporary artists a place to show work in the heart of the city. It was built as part of Frank Gehry's Walt Disney Concert Hall complex, which transformed that part of downtown when it was completed.
The name REDCAT stands for Roy and Edna Disney/CalArts Theater, which reflects the close connection to the California Institute of the Arts. That link shapes what visitors see on stage and on the walls, where work tends to cross between disciplines such as dance, film, and visual art.
The venue is easy to find within the Walt Disney Concert Hall complex by following the signs from the main entrances along Grand Avenue. Performances usually take place in the evenings, while the gallery is open during the day, so arriving before a show leaves time to see both.
The entrance features a glowing marquee made of curved steel and neon lights, designed by artist Peter Shire as a permanent installation integrated into the building's facade. It is one of the few parts of the complex that draws attention specifically to this space rather than to the concert hall above.
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