The Mann’s new campus gives concertgoers enhanced, revamped experiences
The new Highmark Mann campus features state-of-the-art performance enhancements, sweeping physical renovations, expanded public spaces, immersive storytelling experiences, and artistic installations and its open just in time for the summer performance season.
Highmark Mann/Jordan August
People attending performances at Highmark Mann Center for the Performing Arts will see quite a few news features and designs upon entry as the beloved venue enters its 50th year of bringing people together for arts and culture.
On Monday, stakeholders unveiled renovations to the center’s campus, officially opening the revamped campus and it’s many new features.
The new entry plaza features a more open, intuitive and welcoming experience for concertgoers, including a grand entry canopy, expanded concessions and gathering areas, additional restrooms, interactive digital installations, enhanced wayfinding, and more.
Other upgrades include a new gift shop, expanded concessions and points of sale, renovated seating and lighting throughout the TD Pavilion, and enhanced accessibility improvements.
Additionally, the venue’s new enclosed Welcome Center is open to visitors. Inside, guests will find a new ticket office, a retail space, and the Music Hall of Fame, which showcases archival displays and an interactive touchscreen jukebox exploring the venue’s musical history and legendary performers.
The upgrades don’t end there.
The TD Pavilion now features a best-in-class sound system that will deliver enhanced listening experiences throughout the venue. Additional upgrades include new jumbo screens for Great Lawn seating, upgraded power and audio infrastructure, a new fly system, renovated seating, updated lighting and improved sight lines.
Concertgoers will also encounter the more than 4,600-square-foot light-and-sound digital wall dubbed the Satell Centennial Wall East on the side of the TD Pavilion. The installation blends technology, art, music and history into a public experience visible from the venue entrance and surrounding campus.
“As Philadelphia welcomes the world during the Semiquincentennial, this campus transformation reflects the energy, creativity and ambition of our city itself,” Catherine M. Cahill, president and CEO of Highmark Mann Center for the Performing Arts said. “We wanted to create an experience that feels worthy of this historic moment while remaining deeply connected to the generations of Philadelphians who have made memories here for decades, and true to Freddy Mann’s original vision of the venue as a welcoming gathering place where world-class artistry and community come together. From the arrival experience to the artistry, technology and acoustics, every detail was designed to honor our history while boldly looking ahead to the future of live performance in Philadelphia.”
The transformation represents the largest infrastructure investment undertaken by Highmark Mann since the opening of its current venue in 1976. Funded through the organization’s $70 million 50th Anniversary Campaign, the multi-phase project gives guests a new experience across its 21-acre campus.
