Since October 1990, when the doors to the Concert Hall opened, the arts in Northern Virginia have not been the same. The Center for the Arts plays a key role in the cultural vitality of the Washington Metropolitan region, attracting more than 100,000 patrons each year to performances by local artists and ensembles; community events; student and faculty productions; the award-winning offerings of Theater of the First Amendment; and our own multi-disciplinary series - Great Performances at Mason.