About MFAC

The Carl J. Murphy Fine Arts Center, located on the edge of the Morgan State University southeast campus, made its debut on December 1, 2001 with a glorious performance by the renowned soprano, Ms. Jessye Norman-accompanied by pianist, Mark Markham. We are the venue of choice for a broad spectrum of performances and events-from Gospel to classical music; from gumshoe stepping to ballet and modern dance; from standup comedy to Broadway musical theatre; from informal lectures to Presidential debates-the Murphy Fine Arts Center can do it all.

The Murphy Fine Arts Center (MFAC) is Baltimore's most modern venue replete with contemporary, state-of-the-art facilities for members of the performing and visual arts communities to showcase their talents. MFAC's performance spaces ably accommodate performers and productions who play to 'thousands" at a time-and-to acts who prefer the intimate settings of studio theatre or recital hall venues. MFAC's complete package includes four performance spaces; talent/crew expertises that rival the offerings at Baltimore's downtown performance venues; and a museum with art objects valued in excess of $10 million.

The centerpiece of this great venue is the James H. and Louise Hayley Gilliam Concert Hall, with seating for over 2,000. With the Gilliam Concert Hall, and three other performance spaces, MFAC is able to mount a wider range of productions than any other facility in Baltimore. We are the home of the world-renowned Morgan State University Choir, the "The Magnificent Marching Machine," also known as the Morgan State University Marching Band, and Theatre Morgan. The James E. Lewis Museum of Art - also within the walls of MFAC - is built to house touring art exhibitions of many genres.

MFAC's northeast Baltimore location and physical features make it an ideal setting for a broad spectrum of performances and events: from Broadway and off-Broadway productions-to studio theatre to stand-up comedy; for musical performances from symphony-to recital; and for dance performances from chorus lines-to classical ballet-to African dance.