Clean environment, lots of seating, wish they had tv screens so people that aren't sitting in front…read morecan actually see what's going on on stage

Beautiful building! Nice parking. Landscaping is great too! Growing up in the surrounding area, I…read morehave gone here many times and have never had any complaints.

This 330 seat art theater downtown is a real hidden gem. The FIA Theater regularly shows a large…read morerange of art house, foreign, music documentaries, Oscar-winning short subject documentary, and small independent films that don't get a large theatrical run. Other than that, it often shows well-respected award-winning films that only pick up steam after the Oscar season and get a second shot at the movie plex after people hear about it. I like this theater because I'm a fan of documentaries, foreign films art house cinema- you know, the stuff that isn't the typical popcorn summer blockbuster or the latest formulaic comedy starring Adam Sandler, not that there's anything wrong with Adam Sandler, but there's more to life than watching his umpteenth comedy where he plays the average joe. Anyway, some of the best and most unique films I've screened here. I recently took in screenings of the Beatles and Iggy Pop documentaries from the cinema's Music Legends series. They were both awesome and included, as all of their films do, a brief accompanying introduction/lecture before the film began. It was cheap, too. Their film series have different prices for the type of film category it is, with the Music Legends series being the cheapest at $2 each. Depending on the type of film or documentary being shown, the prices range from $2 for Music Legends to between $5-$7 for documentaries or foreign language films. Prices and schedules are always listed on the website for the FIA and on posters in the lobby. I also saw the French film, Elle, here a few months back. Complex, thought-provoking entries like that are the norm for this theater. I, for one, don't mind watching films with subtitles and if you don't mind it, either, chances are this theater could be something you could appreciate. The seats are comfortable and the theater appears to have undergone some important renovations. It's spacious, has plenty of seating and a large screen with excellent sound quality. Watching a film here is preferable in many respects to watching a movie at regular theaters with squawking kids, noisy adolescents and ignorant fools talking on their phones during the movie, at least to me. The obliviousness of the average movie-goer is largely to blame for why I have started boycotting most first-run theaters unless it's something I really want to see ASAP. At least this theater doesn't attract the goober slob type talking loudly on their phones while downing Diet Coke with scoops of gooey popcorn. Those people are gross. This is a cash-only theater, at least as of now, but the price is so cheap, who cares? Also, you can't take food and beverages inside the theater, but it's not really a problem and the floors don't stick beneath me while I'm grabbing a seat from spilled soda, which is a good thing.

We went to see the Flint Community Players production of Sweeney Todd. The prices was reasonable…read more The size of the venue ensures every sear is a good one! The performance was spectacular. At intermission, they offer a very small snack bar. The venue is also located within a few minutes of several good restaurants.

This was a surprisingly enjoyable experience. I am NOT artistic by any stretch of the imagination…read more However, I felt confident when I walked in and saw easel board, paints and brushes already prepped . The step by step guidance was great. As were the suggestions as to how to individualize the work. It was just a fun gathering with a room full of people, all made to feel welcomed.

I love this place! I've been there twice now and will continue to go back. Fun and friendly…read moreenvironment. I'm not a professional artist by any means, but the instructor is patient, friendly and incredibly helpful. I've even went to the emergency SOS class which is free and offered once a month to fix up any flaws from your past painting, and the one on one time was super helpful. All the staff has always been super helpful and friendly every time I've been there. I definitely recommend this activity for a fun lighthearted afternoon or even a fun night out with friends! I've done both and am looking forward to returning for a new painting again!

The UM-Flint theatre department stages professionally-produced productions all year, from dance…read morerecitals to plays and musicals. I've seen many productions mounted on the UM-Flint stage over the years, like Equus, Noises Off, Little Shop of Horrors, and the Ash Girl, just to name a few. I've never been disappointed. The tiny "black box" theatre at the rear of the regular theatre is also a unique spot for one-act performances, experimental performance art and for theatre students to conduct classes and dramatic readings. The acoustics, lighting and sound are always high quality and seats are comfortable as well. Ticket prices are cheap (often as low as $5 for theatrical productions, a little higher for dance performances) and alumni receive comped/reduced tickets for performances throughout the year thanks to UM's Alumni Association. Open to the general public.

I LLLOVE live (EXCELLENT) music…read more SERVICE: HIGHLY RECOMMEND! So I happened to find this event online as I searched for things to do. Since it was FREE admission and no tickets required, I thought to check it out. This a nonprofit group of volunteers organized as a symphony orchestra that performs at various locations as posted on their socials (#TMSO), playing public domaine classical pieces. The director is humorous and excellent curator of the whole experience. QUALITY: WOW. Full. Stop. AMAZING, INTIMATE PERFORMANCE. VALUE: No charge. Donations welcomed. Great thing to do for a date night. PICS TELL MORE. https://www.troymetro.org/

Just started our 6th year and would be anywhere else. It's…read morebeen a magical journey and I look forward to all the exciting days that are coming for this studio! Thank you so much to the one and only Mrs. Carter for making it all happen. 2018 is going to be an amazing year at Fenton School of Dance Academy! Carey Muntin

What's not to love about the Flint Cultural Center?…read more Home to the Flint Institute of Arts, Applewood/Mott Estate, Whiting Auditorium, Sloan Museum, Longway Planetarium, Buick Research Gallery, Flint Public Library, Flint Youth Theatre, Flint Institute of Music/MacArthur Recital Hall, Flint Symphony Orchestra, Flint School of Performing Arts, Whaley House and more, the cultural center in downtown Flint is a hidden gem. If you want to soak up some culture in the city, then look no further. This little niche arts community, situated between the College Cultural and East Village neighborhoods, has more than its share of cultural happenings going on throughout the year. I love everything about the cultural center, from its many free or low-cost festivals hosted throughout the year, namely the annual tree lighting near Applewood every December and the Sloan Auto Fair and the Flint Art Fair during the summer, to productions at the Whiting, like the Nutcracker, FSO performances, Holiday Pops, etc, and free lectures, foreign films and exhibitions at the FIA. There's always something for everyone of all ages. On several occasions during the fall and winter, the MacArthur Recital Hall even plays host to free classical music concerts, based on first-come, first-served basis. These intimate concertos are super nice for families or students trying to stretch a buck in a city often plagued by money woes. These days, the doors to Applewood Estate have been thrown open for tourists at no cost! Yep, free tours of the estate and grounds for all ages throughout the summer and fall. Most events at the FIA are free or low-cost, including "Free Saturdays" sponsored by Huntington Bank, which allows for free admission to the museum's temporary Hodge Gallery exhibitions (admission to the rest of the museum's exhibitions is always free). Recently, Sloan held its Titanic exhibition, which proved so popular that it was extended by many months to accommodate the number of visitors flocking to it. The area also plays host to food and wine tastings, beer tap takeovers, and fundraisers. The money goes to charity and it's fun to participate, sample the wares and give to a good cause at the same time. Some of the nicest events in the city take place on the grounds of the cultural center, which I think is actually nicer than similar cultural center areas in other, larger cities. If you've never visited the grounds of the Flint Cultural Center, then I think you probably don't know what you're missing. The area always looks impressive and is incredibly well-maintained. Sometimes, it's hard to imagine this fantastic little area is located in Flint. It's like its own little "cultural slice of heaven." It's sort of like it's a different city, indeed, free of the more blight and crime issues that people complain about in the city. Another plus? Parking in the cultural center is free, unless you're using valet parking for events, of course. Essentially, I'd say the cultural center has been somewhat of a boon to the community for years and is a bright spot in an otherwise not so-happy town. For both people of means and cash-strapped families and students, as well as everyone in between, there are fun things to do here that fit any budget. Even the museum and symphony tickets aren't that expensive and student tickets are super cheap. Other events are outright free to the public. You can't beat free, right? I just attended the local Christmas tree lighting ceremony this year as part of the city's Holiday Walk. It was amazing, with all of the trees lit up/decorated for the holidays and all. On top of that, the recent performance of the Nutcracker this year was top-notch, as usual. For a town that has garnered such a bad reputation, and deservedly so for a litany of reasons, there are still fun, even low-cost cultural activities for the family to be had and most of those involve the Flint Cultural Center, a rare gem to be found, no matter which way you slice it. Seriously, it's pretty easy to bag on this city, with all of its issues (blight, crime, poverty, lead water, etc), but the downtown cultural center is a bright spot, one that seems almost like a carved-out little niche tucked away for locals to run back to every once in awhile as a sort of "artistic reprieve" from the rest of the city and its outlying areas.