Kirkland Performance Center, Arts theater in Kirkland, United States

The Kirkland Performance Center is a 394-seat theater in downtown Kirkland, Washington, that opened in June 1998. It was designed by Becker Architects with acoustics suited to multiple performance types, and its interior and exterior were renovated in 2015 to reflect a programming shift toward Seattle indie groups.

The Kirkland Performance Center opened in June 1998 after a fundraising campaign led by former city councilman Larry Springer and former mayor Bill Woods. About $100,000 was raised locally, the city of Kirkland contributed roughly $1.4 million, and state, county and individual gifts brought the total to about $5.8 million. Jeff Lockhart became executive director in 2014, and the following season interior and exterior renovations accompanied a shift toward Seattle indie programming.

The center's 2015 renovation reshaped its programming toward Seattle indie groups, and its stage has drawn Philip Glass (2012), Judith Hill (2017) and Rufus Wainwright (2018 and 2022). Jeff Lockhart became executive director in 2014.

The center sits in downtown Kirkland, a short walk from the Lake Washington waterfront and its surrounding restaurants and shops. It opened in June 1998, and its 394 seats mean the hall is small enough that booking ahead matters for well-known acts such as Rufus Wainwright, who played here in 2018 and 2022.

The 1998 opening followed a fundraising drive that began with about $100,000 from local supporters, including former councilman Larry Springer and former mayor Bill Woods; the city of Kirkland then contributed about $1.4 million, with state, county and private gifts bringing the total to roughly $5.8 million.