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Historic Theater a Central Minnesota Arts Gem
The Paramount Theatre and Visual Arts Center in St. Cloud is one of central Minnesota’s premier arts destinations, offering theater, exhibits, and classes in a historic downtown landmark.
Like most early 20thcentury theaters, the Paramount has undergone numerous changes over the decades since it was built in 1921. The site of vaudeville acts, plays, and movies, the Paramount was a centerpiece of St. Cloud’s bustling downtown life. After a period of decline, renovations in the 1990s returned the theater to its former, opulent glory and triggered a cultural revival in downtown St. Cloud.
The lower level of the theater houses the Visual Arts Center, which provides hands-on art education for youth and adults. The Visual Arts Center hosts exhibitions in the lobby gallery, and next door to the theater, Paramount Gallery and Gifts sells work by regional artists including paintings, drawings, ceramics, jewelry, glass work, photography, fiber art, and more.
The Paramount Visual Arts Center and Paramount Gallery are both part of the St. Cloud Art Crawl, which takes place several months of the year. See and buy artwork and meet artists at over 15 locations in the downtown area.
