24th Street Theatre Purchased South LA Campus

The nonprofit theater group secured its longtime home and adjacent properties to expand its artistic footprint.

Updated on Oct. 5, 2026 in Arts Theater — General

Bold vector editorial illustration showing a stylized theater building silhouette beside an outdoor garden, representing community arts expansion in Los Angeles. — The 24th Street Theatre has acquired its South Los Angeles campus for $3 million, ensuring a permanent home for the organization’s community-focused arts programs. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

Live Poll

Do you believe local arts organizations are essential to your community's future?

The 24th Street Theatre has finalized a $3 million acquisition of its carriage house building and neighboring properties in South Los Angeles. This move secures a permanent home for the organization, which has operated in the area for nearly three decades.

Why it matters

By purchasing the site, the theater aims to solidify its presence and expand its arts and community programming for the surrounding neighborhoods. The expansion efforts are intended to bolster the organization's capacity to serve its annual audience of 10,000 individuals.

The theater serves a total of 10,000 people annually, including 6,000 children and 4,000 adults. The organization, founded in 1997, occupies a 1928 structure it has called home for 29 years.

The players

24th Street Theatre

This nonprofit theater company, established in 1997, provides arts programming and education in South Los Angeles.

David Newman

He is a donor who supports the theater and its mission to bring arts to the inner city community.

Perenchio Foundation

This foundation serves as a philanthropic organization providing financial support to local arts initiatives.

Friars Foundation

This charitable entity contributes funding to support the theater and its ongoing community enrichment programs.

The details

The theater intends to launch a capital campaign to raise $2 million for necessary renovations across the newly acquired properties. Planned developments for the site include the construction of an outdoor garden and a new black box performance venue.

The carriage house building was constructed in 1928.
The 24th Street Theatre was founded in 1997.
The company will launch a capital campaign at a gala on October 18, 2026.

Industry Dynamics

This acquisition follows the documented trend toward community-owned cultural infrastructure in Los Angeles, which seeks to provide long-term stability for neighborhood arts organizations. The move allows the theater to move away from the volatility of leasing and toward permanent asset ownership.

Residents can expect expanded programming and new performance spaces once the $2 million renovation project is completed. The theater continues to provide services to 6,000 children and 4,000 adults annually, with plans to increase accessibility through the new venue.

The takeaway

Securing a permanent facility allows a nonprofit to focus resources on programming rather than rent costs. This model offers a sustainable path for small arts organizations to deepen their reach within their local communities.