Straz Center for the Performing Arts, Performing arts center in downtown Tampa, United States

The Straz Center for the Performing Arts is a 335,000-square-foot venue on a 9-acre site along the east bank of the Hillsborough River in downtown Tampa. Its five theaters range from the 2,600-seat Carol Morsani Hall to the 130-seat Shimberg Playhouse. The pale grayish-tan facade carries gold letters reading "STRAZ CENTER" and "FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS" beneath three stacked gold stars.

The venue opened in July 1987 as the Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center, built at a cost of $57 million on a 9-acre site along the east bank of the Hillsborough River. It was renamed in 2009 for David A. Straz Jr., a Tampa banker and philanthropist (1942-2019). Judith Lisi led the center as CEO for 30 years until September 2022, when Greg Holland took over.

The center serves as a gathering place for artists and audiences throughout the region, shaping Tampa's cultural life through regular performances and community programs. The Patel Conservatory offers instruction and workshops that allow people of all ages to develop their own artistic skills.

The venue sits beside the river and is easy to reach by various means of transportation, though finding parking can take extra time. Allow time to enjoy the restaurants and surrounding area before or after attending a show.

The center is known for presenting world premieres of musicals and plays that may eventually travel to Broadway in New York. This role makes it an important place for developing new artistic works.