Harrisburg Midtown Arts Center

02/19/2026

RIP Lil Poppa

02/18/2026

HMAC is facing a difficult moment. Due to ongoing issues with the city and back taxes, we’ve been forced to temporarily close our doors while we work toward a resolution and plan to reopen.

Right now, our biggest concern is our employees, the incredible people who make HMAC special who have been left without the pay they earned during this unexpected closure.

Every dollar raised through this fundraiser goes directly to our staff to help cover lost wages. None of the funds go to the venue or ownership.

If HMAC has ever been part of a good memory for you, please consider donating. Even $1 or $5 helps and goes a long way in supporting the people behind the scenes who make this place possible.

Thank you for helping us keep the spirit of HMAC alive. ❤️

The employees of HMAC, the music venue and arts center I own, are facing an incredi… Chris Werner needs your support for Support HMAC Employees During Closure

02/17/2026

An Open Letter and Public Statement from Harrisburg Midtown Art Center (HMAC) to Harrisburg City Council, Mayor Wanda Williams, City Solicitor Neil Grover, and the Community of Harrisburg

It is with profound regret and a heavy heart that we announce the impending closure of the Harrisburg Midtown Art Center (HMAC). This outcome follows the decision by the City of Harrisburg to deny and refuse renewal of essential operating licenses, including our health license and mercantile license. Without these, and in accordance with requirements from the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board, HMAC is legally prohibited from continuing operations.

This decision was made despite repeated, good-faith efforts by HMAC’s ownership and legal representatives to engage city leadership in meaningful dialogue. Our attorneys reached out multiple times, seeking communication, negotiation, or resolution. We offered a substantial partial payment towards outstanding “entertainment tax” obligations, along with a structured plan to resolve the remaining balance responsibly and in full. These efforts were met with silence. Requests for meetings went unanswered. Formal correspondence received no reply. The absence of engagement left us with the unavoidable conclusion that resolution was never meaningfully pursued.

We acknowledge that entertainment tax is owed. This city-enforced tax—10% on every show and every ticket sold—is applied regardless of whether a venue operates at a profit. While we do not dispute our responsibility, the reality is that live entertainment venues across the nation were devastated by the COVID-19 pandemic, prolonged shutdowns, and the lasting pressures of inflation. HMAC endured those hardships, not by abandoning its obligations, but by fighting to recover, reinvest, and honor them.

In fact, HMAC was preparing to undertake a $2 million renovation that would have revitalized the building, created jobs for local contractors at prevailing wages, generated permit revenue, and reinvested millions directly into the local economy. This was not merely a construction project—it was a commitment to the future of this city and its creative economy.

Instead, the denial of licenses has forced closure and resulted in the immediate loss of jobs. Bartenders, security personnel, lighting and sound technicians, production crews, and administrative staff—many of whom dedicated years of loyal service—now face sudden uncertainty. Independent promoters, artists, and small local businesses who depended on HMAC as a platform have also been deeply affected. The consequences extend far beyond one building. They reach into families, livelihoods, and the cultural fabric of our community.

For 15 years , HMAC has been more than a business. It has been a home for artists, a stage for expression, and a gathering place for connection. It has brought music, poetry, theater, art, performance, and shared experience to thousands. It has drawn visitors who supported neighboring restaurants, hotels, and small businesses. It has stood as a symbol of creativity, resilience, and community investment—even during the most uncertain times.

We are left with difficult and troubling questions. Why was there no willingness to communicate? Why was there no effort to pursue a solution that preserved jobs, protected a cultural institution, and allowed responsible repayment? Why was there no recognition of the broader economic and human cost of this outcome?

We ask city leadership and the community to reflect on what this loss represents. This is not simply the closure of a venue. It is the loss of a creative cornerstone, a place where memories were made, careers were launched, and community was strengthened.

Despite this outcome, HMAC remains open to constructive dialogue. We remain willing to engage in good faith to explore any viable path forward—one grounded in fairness, communication, and mutual respect. We believe collaboration, not silence, builds stronger cities.

To our employees, artists, partners, and supporters: thank you. You gave HMAC its life, its voice, and its purpose. Whatever the future holds, the spirit of what was built here will endure in every life it touched.

Respectfully, HMAC Ownership and Partners

Media Inquiries: [email protected] [email protected]

Mayor's Office
Mayor Wanda Williams
MLK Jr. City Government Center
10 North 2nd Street, Suite 202
Harrisburg, PA 17101, USA
Phone 717 255-3040
Email [email protected]

02/11/2026

🔥 JUST ANNOUNCED 🔥

Ace Monroe is officially joining Austin Meade & Goodbye June on their Country Music Fueled Co-Headline Tour on March 4th at HMAC

With gritty Southern swagger, arena ready hooks, and a whole lot of rock ‘n’ roll attitude, Ace Monroe is bringing the heat and setting the tone for a night you won’t forget.

Three powerhouse acts. One stage. All gas, no brakes.

Don’t miss your chance to catch this stacked lineup live in Harrisburg 🎸🔥
Grab your tickets now at the link in bio or comments and get ready to turn it all the way up.

02/10/2026

HELLO RAIDER 👋
Are you ready for The Raid?? An Arc Raiders themed Rave coming to next Saturday???

Grab your duo, trio or squad and sport your best raider fits as we go topside for the party of the year 🔥

Our lineup is getting prepared to throw down something NASTY for y’all w/ , , , & pulling up for some topside shenanigans

Get ready for some wild & diverse sets, a dark & futuristic environment & TONS of glow sticks. We are holding nothing back for this ONE NIGHT ONLY event!

So grab your gear, grab a friend and grab your tickets to the Raid on February 21st 🔥

📸

02/10/2026

Alpha Wolf tickets are going FAST

Grab yours today ⬇️⬇️⬇️

02/09/2026

Who’s ready for Jessica Kirson on March 14th at HMAC?? From HILARIOUS crowd work to side stitching bits, this is a comedy show you won’t wanna miss

Grab your tix today at the link in comments or bio

02/09/2026

🚨THIS IS NOT A DRILL🚨
GIDEON IS COMING TO HMAC

Supporting alphawolfcvlt on their Let it Rip USA Tour!

Get ready for a WILD night, this is one of the most stacked lineups we’ve had in awhile and we can’t wait to see it live May 7th.

Get your tickets today at the link in bio or comments

02/06/2026

The Godfathers of Thrash, RAVEN, are bringing their “Can’t take away the fire” tour to HMAC

Get ready for some good ol fashion thrash metal as Raven & Slackjaw takeover HMAC on April 25th.

Grab your tix today at the link in comments or bio

02/05/2026

Silversun Pickups bring their “Tenterhooks Tour” to HMAC 🌋

Grab your tickets today
& we’ll see you May 5th

02/05/2026

Vicious Rumors are bringing heavy hair metal to Harrisburg on March 29th

W/ Massive support from Wicked, Offensive, Kore Rozzik & Nightwind

Grab your tickets today at the link in comments/bio

02/05/2026

🚨EXTRACTION SEQUENCE INITIATED🚨

HARRISBURG are you ready for THE RAID, a high stakes EDM scavenge through a world of futurism & mechanical chaos! & We’re going topside with a heavy artillery lineup of VET raiders

THE STRIKE TEAM: , , , ,

MISSION INTEL:
Location: HMAC
Date: February 21st

Gear up & get ready for the raid
Early bird tix available now but extremely LIMITED! Grab yours today at comments below or link in bio