Dougherty Arts Center Rentals
Reservations for the 2027 season are now open!
Learn How to Reserve
The Dougherty Arts Center (DAC) has been home to local, national and international performing artists since 1978. Bring your next film festival, dance recital, live concert of staged performance to our stage, or use our free creative space rehearsal rooms for your auditions, production meetings, workshops and rehearsals.
Rental Spaces
The DAC offers the following spaces for reservations:
- 150 seat theater with two dressing rooms for a hourly rental fee.
- Two 450 sq. ft. community "creative spaces" free during business hours.
Facility Details
DAC Theater
The DAC Theater is a unique, medium-sized, mid-century modern style proscenium theater with comfortable seats, wide aisles and tiered seating.
Amenities
- Complete PA system
- Professional stage lighting
- HD projector and large screen
- Dressing rooms and green room
- Loading dock behind stage
- Flexible seating configurations
Facility Details
Creative Spaces
The DAC's Creative Spaces are designed to meet the informational, educational, and professional needs of arts organizations at NO COST. Availability and Reservation Requests can be made online.
Amenities
- Tables and chairs that can be rearranged to suit your needs
- White boards
- Projector screens
- Large screen TV with HDMI connections
- Creative Space Guidelines
- Groups are prohibited from using any space for commercial purposes or charging a fee to enter.
- In order to provide equitable opportunity for space, organizations are limited to a maximum of four reservations of four hours each per month. A maximum number of reservations per organization cannot exceed 25 in a calendar year. No exceptions.
- Rooms cannot be reserved for the same program under different organization/individual names, resulting in a reoccurring program.
- Rooms are offered free on a first come, first serve basis with reservations accepted up to 40 days in advance. Reservations are required.
- Children may not be left unattended in the facility.
- Rooms must be left as they are found. All trash must be put in the proper receptacles, surfaces(including white board) wiped down if necessary and equipment returned.
- Permission to use the community rooms may be withheld from groups who have failed to comply with these guidelines or cause any damages or disturbances.
- To change or cancel a reservation, please email DACInfo@austintexas.gov no later than 24 hours before the scheduled reservation. If a group fails to show for two meetings in a row and does not call to cancel, that group will be unable to reserve a creative space for 6 months, beginning on the date of their most recent no show.
- Creative Space rooms cannot be used as dressing rooms.
- It is prohibited to put any piece of furniture in the gallery/hallway adjacent to the community room entrances. You may ask people to wait in the main gallery, Artist Resource Center or hallway near the theatre.
- Rooms are available Monday Through Thursday from 10am to 9:30pm on a first come first serve basis.
2027 Season
Rental Inquiries and Reservations
Application Process
- Applications for 2027 rentals open at 12:00 a.m. on Friday, May 1, 2026.
- Download the 2027 DAC Rental Packet (PDF, 3.73 MB) to your device. Please read the Facility User Guide at the beginning of the document to understand the policies and expectations of our space.
- Complete the document, save to your device, and email it as an attachment to DACTheater@austintexas.gov.
Important Notes
- Applications will be considered in the order they are received.
- A completed application *does not* guarantee a reservation.
- Any applications sent prior to May 1 will be considered at a later date.
- Applications for 2027 will close on March 1, 2027.
- For Rental inquiries for the Beverly S. Sheffield Hillside Theater, go to the theater webpage.
Frequently Asked Questions
The DAC theater is equipped for the purpose of a variety of different events. It is best suited for small staged theatrical performances, acoustic concerts, dance recitals, film screenings and lectures.
The DAC does not rent space for life, family or personal events such as weddings, birthdays, quinceañeras, family reunions and social gatherings. This allows more space availability for community organized events.
No. The Julia C. Butridge Gallery is not included in the DAC theater rental agreement. The gallery is open to the public during regular business hours and cannot be reserved for private events. Renters will work with the Theater Coordinator to coordinate the concessions and box office set up in the gallery.
Theater clients are allowed 2 tables in the gallery adjacent to the entrance of the theater to sell concessions or merchandise with the appropriate permits. We do not have the ability to accommodate additional vendors in the theater, gallery or outdoor area.
Renters planning to sell or serve alcohol to the public at the DAC will need to request so in writing to the theater coordinator and will be required to obtain general and liquor liability insurance, TABC permit for the sale of alcohol and a temporary food permit.
Of course! However all tours and walkthroughs of the theater and creative spaces are by appointment only. Please email DACTheater@austintexas.gov to schedule a tour today.
Helpful Documents and Links
- Facility Rental User Guide (PDF, 2.95 MB)
- Creative Space Room Guidelines (PDF, .64 MB)
- Insurance Requirements (PDF, 620 K.B.)
- Theater Technical Specs (PDF, 94 K.B.)
- Theater Equipment Inventory (PDF, 480 KB)
- Temporary Food Event Application (PDF, 510 KB)
- Alcohol Permit Information (PDF, 662 KB)
Helpful Documents and Links
- Facility Rental User Guide (PDF, 2.95 MB)
- Creative Space Room Guidelines (PDF, .64 MB)
- Insurance Requirements (PDF, 620 K.B.)
- Theater Technical Specs (PDF, 94 K.B.)
- Theater Equipment Inventory (PDF, 480 KB)
- Temporary Food Event Application (PDF, 510 KB)
- Alcohol Permit Information (PDF, 662 KB)