HOPE CENTER FOR THE ARTS

Hope Center for the Arts is a multidisciplinary performing arts facility at 150 Bridge Street in downtown Springfield, Massachusetts, occupying the former CityStage theater. The 500-seat venue features 51 hyperreal speakers, 100 lighting instruments, and a 34-million-pixel video screen, making it one of the most technically advanced arts spaces in New England. It is a project of Hope for Youth and Families, the nonprofit founded by Pride Stores CEO Robert Bolduc.

Expect professional-grade concerts, theater, dance, and community programming with an emphasis on youth arts education. The venue books Grammy-winning touring musicians alongside local performances and serves as the home for free and low-cost after-school arts programs for Springfield middle and high school students.

The building was originally constructed in 1984 as StageWest, renamed CityStage in 1998, and sat vacant after CityStage closed in 2018. Hope for Youth and Families purchased the property for $1 million in 2024 and completed a $10 million renovation before opening in June 2025. The project was primarily funded by the Bolduc family foundation, with an additional $5 million federal earmark for building improvements.