The Sanderson Centre for the Performing Arts has been a downtown Brantford entertainment destination since 1919. Its magnificent design and architecture recall a remarkable past and reflect the evolution and growth of Brantford’s cultural heritage.

Opened as the Temple Theatre on December 22, 1919, this grand and glorious theatre was designed by world famous Scottish-American architect Thomas W. Lamb as a vaudeville and silent movie house. In 1929, with feature film presentations eclipsing vaudeville, Famous Players purchased the Temple Theatre and it was renamed the Capitol. For the next fifty-seven years, the theatre entertained moviegoers, and occasionally rolled back her movie screen to be used again as a stage. In an effort to preserve this important heritage site and create a cultural centre for the community, a group of dedicated community volunteers spearheaded a highly successful fundraising campaign to restore the Capitol Theatre. The theatre was re-born with an authentically restored auditorium and improved services for guests and performers.  It was renamed the Sanderson Centre for the Performing Arts in tribute to the Sanderson family, well-known supporters of the Sanderson Centre restoration and many other local causes.

The Sanderson Centre Foundation is an independent, registered charitable corporation born out of that initial group of dedicated restoration volunteers and continues the important work of enhancing the theatre experience of its patrons. Thank-you for your willingness to support this cultural gem in the City of Brantford