Arts & Humanities

The "Nashua Arts Scene" is unique in that it combines the backdrop of a progressive urban lifestyle with the special intimacy of a New England hometown. Our artistic and performance venues are intimate, diverse, historic, and an important part of the fine grain fabric of the downtown district and the entire city.

Some Early History of Nashua Arts and Humanities

From the very first days of the modern community of Nashua in 1823, the arts and humanities were never encouraged as a passing luxury or as a fanciful distraction from the progress of the city. Instead, the arts and humanities have from the very beginning of this city been acknowledged as one of the main pillars of the social and economic advancement and success of the place called Nashua, New Hampshire. The arts have and continue to attract and retain prosperity, diversity, youth, innovation, freedom of expression, creativity, good design, and make a place, a city, worth caring about; that’s beneficial for the heart of the community, and the economy of the city.

The City of Nashua's heritage as a cradle of the "Arts" in New England is a proud legacy. By 1830, the Nashua Lyceum was chartered; this is believed to be New Hampshire’s first organized Lyceum institution. The Nashua Lyceum offered literary, poetical, philosophical, and scientific lectures and other progressive oratory programs by some of the giants of New England’s intellectual community.


Theaters & Performance Halls


The Edmund Keefe Auditorium

Constructed in 1936 as part of the grand building of the new Nashua High School and Civic Complex, the Keefe Auditorium is Nashua’s largest indoor performance venue. The Auditorium of Classical-Revival architecture and seating some 1,500 patrons is located on the south-end of the large School-Civic Building (today’s Elm Street Jr. High School) fronting on Elm Street. View a map of 117 Elm Street Nashua, New Hampshire.

14 Court Street Theater

Completed in 1971, the Court Street Theater is composed of the original 1870 Central Firehouse and a new International-style architectural addition facing the Library Courtyard on Court Street. This unique space originally housed the Nashua Arts and Science Center, and through the years has served various performing theatrical and dance companies, visual artists, sculptors, Symphony NH and arts organizations. It seats approximately 150, and continues its proud legacy today as one of Downtown Nashua’s theatrical performance hot spots for a pleasant afternoon or an evening on the town. Go to Peacock Players, Actorsingers and view a map of 14 Court Street, Nashua, New Hampshire.

Nashua Theatre Guild

Nashua Theatre Guild has been operating for almost 50 years, our mission is to offer the community affordable, high quality theater while enriching the talents and abilities of its members.

The Hunt Memorial Library Building

Constructed in 1903 and designed by famed architect Ralph Adams Cram, this extraordinary venue was built as Nashua’s first modern public library building. The grand Gothic-Revival was transformed into The Hunt Building in the 1990’s and today serves as a special and intimate performance space for everything from literary readings, to piano concerts, jazz exhibitions, vocal offerings, and oral history presentations. Seating approximately 50 patrons, and a national architectural treasure, it is the gem of Nashua’s performance halls. View a map of 6 Main Street, Nashua, New Hampshire.

Outdoor Stages