There are always so many questions when it comes to choosing the right venue for your event. What spaces are available? How do the costs compare? What amenities does it offer? And—in particular for Chicago—what is the parking situation for patrons?
Suffice it to say, it can get overwhelming.
But, after chatting with Ethan and Genevieve—our venue, events, and booking experts—I’m here to simplify it and give you a walk-through of the renting process and what makes the Athenaeum Center (ACTC) the perfect choice for your next event.
Table of Contents
1. Why Choose the Athenaeum Center?
2. Our Booking process
3. Facilities, Amenities, & Services
Why Choose the Athenaeum Center?
1. We aren’t just a theater. We’re an arts center.
With four different rental spaces, ACTC hosts a wide variety of events. Our venue is a home for the performing arts (like musicals, comedy, ballet, and concerts), the intellectual arts (like panel discussions, lectures, and live broadcasts), and the visual arts (galleries, film screenings, and art competitions).
That only scratches the surface.
When you rent at ACTC, not only are you sure to have a variety of quality accommodations for your event, you also become a part of a broader community of arts and culture.
2. Variety of rental spaces.
As mentioned, we have four main performance spaces as well as office spaces. These include:
- Historic Main Stage. Seats just under 1,000. Think classic big red curtain and velvet seats.
- Multipurpose Room (Paradiso). Can seat configurations over 300. Think company luncheons, panel discussions, or wedding receptions.
- Two Black Box Theaters. Seats 80-90 patrons. It is what it sounds like, but better.
We will discuss specifics in the Facilities & Amenities section.
3. Simple box office experience
The box office experience at the Athenaeum Center is a breeze for both event organizers and attendees. Rather than having to coordinate with an outside ticketing provider, we handle everything in-house. This includes setting up a seating map, pricing, ticketing, and customer service. And for patrons, getting checked in and seated is quick and painless.4. Free parking
Parking anywhere in Chicago can be tricky and expensive. We boast FREE parking NEXT DOOR to our venue for your patrons and guests! We’re also in the Lakeview neighborhood so traffic is less hectic.
The Booking Process
1. Initial Inquiry
Let us know you’re interested by giving us a call to our main number and selecting our rentals extension or by applying on our website through the rental application. No commitment is expected at this stage.
Contact info is listed at the bottom of this article.
2. Consultation
After your initial inquiry, you’ll have a call with our event managers to chat about your event. They will then send you a detailed proposal outlining availability, included amenities, pricing, and more.
3. Contract and Deposit
Once we have agreed on the proposal, the contract is signed and a deposit will be made. Get excited, because you are officially booked!
You are welcome to tour our theater and facility at any point in this process!
4. Team Meeting
We’ll organize a meeting with key staff members to ensure there is mutual understanding of the details and that you have all the support you need for your event. We will talk through ticketing, tech, and more.
5. Preparing your event
Between booking and your event date, we will be helping you prepare. Depending on the agreement, ACTC can assist with nearly every aspect of your event. This includes set construction, technical programming, marketing, and more.
6. Event Execution
Our team will be there to help your event run smoothly so you can spend more time focused on your role in the event and less time worrying about details.
7. Strike
The level of support for event setup and breakdown depends on the size of the event, but we are always open to conversations to ensure your requirements are met. Our staff is knowledgeable and efficient.
Key Tips for Booking our Venue
Ask about the availability of your date as soon as possible! Once a date is booked by another client, it’s booked. Many prospective clients have expected to book a specific day only to find that it was booked by someone else earlier. Nothing is more awkward than promoting a particular date and finding out it isn’t available. Book as soon as possible!
You can schedule a tour at any point in the process. Whether or not there is a signed contract, we would love to give you a tour of our facilities.
Just ask! If you need it, we might have it. And if we don’t, we’ll look into it for you.
Facilities, Amenities, & Services
Our rental event spaces are flexible. Whether you have a small or large event, we can tailor the setup to meet your needs.
ACTC offers four performance spaces, including:
Historic Main Stage Theater
- Seats over 950
- Balcony seating
- Two concession windows, serving soda, beer, wine, cocktails, and a variety of snacks
- Box Office Team & Front of House Support
- Four tech staff minimum
- Orchestra Pit
- Dance floor
- Dressing rooms
- Pianos
- Rehearsal studios
- Full stage front projection
- Gala / VIP / Pre-Show or Post-Show Space
- ADA accessibility
- Post show reports
Learn more about renting the Historic Main Stage
Multipurpose Event Space (Paradiso)
- Perfect for various event types
- Seat up to 250
- Newly renovated in 2021
- 4,000 square feet
- 8+ layouts to choose from
- Full-service bar
- Post show reports
Learn more about renting the Paradiso
Black Box Studios
- Each seats over 80
- Box Office Team & Front of House Support
- ADA accessible
- Four-input analog sound consoles
- ETC element light boards
- Post show reports
Learn more about renting the Black Box Studios
Staff you could expect to work with:
- Booking agent
- Marketing
- Box office management
- Front of house
- Bartender
- Tech crew
Future Renovations and Updates
The Athenaeum Center is on a journey to update the building while respecting its historical aesthetic. With the completion of Phase 1 (1st floor), exciting changes are on the horizon with Phase 2 and 3 of our renovations. These will elevate our historic main stage theater with advanced tech updates, including new lights, a fly system, and a new main drape. We plan on renovating the 2nd and 3rd floors to amazing office spaces and more.
Memorable Events
We’ve hosted a wide array of memorable events. Here are just a few:
- Dante 360: A showcase of music, drama, and dance inspired by the Divine Comedy. You can purchase tickets here.
- All American Awaz Competition: South Asian music and dance
- Our very first wedding reception that took place in July of 2024
- An Evening with Dennis Quaid: Music performance and live interview
- An Evening with Fr. Mike Schmitz: Read the retrospective
Not only have we hosted memorable events, we’ve worked with remarkable people too. We have the utmost respect for our clients and want both performances and experiences with ACTC facilities and staff to be delightful.
Final Thoughts
When you rent at the Athenaeum Center, you get a smooth experience, from booking, to event day, to post-show debriefs. You also join a community passionate about the arts, both on staff and past ACTC renters and performers.
We would be honored to hear from you!
