The Arts Ballroom hosts conferences, award dinners, galas, weddings and social celebrations for 100 to 550 guests in a 1920s Art Deco ballroom on Locust Street, in Center City Philadelphia. The venue covers about 10,000 square feet and handles catering, staffing, lighting and coordination in house, so an organiser deals with one team.
Seminars and company events
The corporate offer covers company conferences and presentations, award ceremonies, client networking events, product launches, holiday parties, board dinners and executive luncheons. The venue says its rooms can be laid out theater style, classroom, banquet or reception, and that the space is equipped for presentations and live entertainment. A daytime program can run in the same building as a plated multi-course dinner, a buffet or a cocktail party. The Sylvania Room works for a reception, and the private Mezzanine level can host business meetings or a dance party. The address is steps from the Pennsylvania Convention Center.
Weddings and receptions
Ceremony, cocktail hour and reception all take place under one roof. The ceremony seats up to 250 guests in the Grand Ballroom, and the Sylvania Room is used for the cocktail hour and for rehearsal dinners. Wedding packages include a custom menu with the executive chef, service staff, china, glassware, linens, cake cutting, bridal suite access and a dedicated event coordinator. The venue advises booking 12 to 18 months ahead for peak dates and offers shorter timelines on request.
Rooms and capacities
The Grand Ballroom is the main hall, with hardwood floors, crystal chandeliers, French acoustic ceiling panels, a granite grand staircase and a backlit marble bar. The Sylvania Room is a smaller space for cocktails, dinners and rehearsal dinners. The Mezzanine level is private and includes two suites, each with its own restroom, as well as Juliet balconies and a musicians' balcony. Total capacity runs from 100 to 550 guests. Social events have a minimum of 100 guests, and the ballroom seats 200 to 400 guests for mitzvahs. Custom uplighting, spotlights and dance lighting are part of the offer.
Catering
Catering is included in the packages and can be customized. The site lists butlered hors d'oeuvres, attended cocktail stations, a plated dinner with tableside service, a full dessert menu and an open bar. It states one server for every 10 guests and one bartender for every 75 guests, with a captain of servers on each event. A preferred vendor list exists, and the team discusses outside vendors during a tour.
History and setting
The ballroom sits on the Avenue of the Arts, in Philadelphia's Cultural District, blocks from City Hall, Love Park and Rittenhouse Square. The venue describes the room as a 1920s Art Deco ballroom and points guests to nearby spots for photographs, including Dilworth Park and Washington Square Park.
Getting there
The address is 1324 Locust Street, Philadelphia, PA 19107. The venue is reachable by SEPTA, and guests can park at the Kimmel Center Garage or the Broad and Locust garage nearby. Tours last 45 to 60 minutes and are by appointment.
