Houston’s historic DeLUXE Theater is commemorating a monumental 10-year anniversary of its rebirth as a vibrant cultural hub. Once shuttered from 1969 until its restoration in 2015, this iconic Fifth Ward landmark has emerged stronger—bridging its rich cinematic past with a dynamic future of arts, film, and performance.

 

From Segregated Cinema to Cultural Beacon: Opened in April 1941, the DeLUXE Theater was the premier movie house for Black Houstonians during segregation, styled in graceful Streamline Moderne architecture. After closing in 1969, the venue briefly housed The De Luxe Show—a groundbreaking, racially integrated art exhibition—in 1971, before falling into decades of disuse.

​

After years of abandonment, the Fifth Ward Community Redevelopment Corporation and the City of Houston acquired and restored the theater through a collaborative vision with Texas Southern University. Following renovation by Smith & Co. Architects and funding via community grants, the DeLUXE reopened in 2015 as a community arts and performance center.

​

Since reopening, the DeLUXE has become one of Houston’s premier venues for theatre, film, dance, music, visual art, and educational workshops The DeLUXE Theater. Its thoughtful programming continues the theater's original mission—offering accessible cultural experiences while nurturing community creativity.

​

As the DeLUXE Theater celebrates this milestone, this year’s theme—“Honoring the Past, Shaping the Future”—echoes its transformative journey. From its beginnings as a refuge for Black cinema to its present as a multifaceted arts venue, the theater stands as a testament to preservation, resilience, and shared cultural vision.

The DeLUXE’s 10-year celebration isn’t just a milestone; it’s a renewed invitation—to experience history, champion artistry, and shape the next chapter in Fifth Ward’s cultural legacy.

​

The DeLUXE is proud to be a founding partner and host of The Uprise Experience: Houston Black Theatre Week.