We believe a theatre should be more than a building people occasionally visit.
It should belong to its community.
About The Martin
Located on Ashley Street in the heart of downtown Douglas, Georgia, The Martin has been part of the story of this community since the 1940s. Originally built as a movie theatre, it welcomed generations through its doors before closing as a cinema in the 1970s. Years later, community leaders and volunteers refused to let the building disappear. Through preservation, restoration, and a whole lot of determination, The Martin found a second life.
Today, The Martin is operated by Martin Centre Preservation Company, Inc., a nonprofit organization, and serves as both a historic performing arts venue and a gathering place for Douglas, Coffee County, and the surrounding South Georgia region.
Our stage has room for live music, theatre, community programming, school events, celebrations, speakers, and experiences we haven't even imagined yet. Our doors also open to local organizations, educators, churches, nonprofits, businesses, and families looking for a place to gather.
Because we believe a theatre should be more than a building people occasionally visit.
It should belong to its community.
We inherited something worth preserving.
Now we're building something worth passing on.
That belief shapes the work happening at The Martin today.
We are preserving the history and character that make this place special while building the systems, partnerships, programming, and financial foundation necessary for it to thrive long into the future.
Our purpose is to preserve and activate The Martin as a historic gathering place that creates meaningful experiences, strengthens community connection, and enriches downtown Douglas for generations to come.
And that impact doesn't stop at our front doors.
When people come downtown for a performance, they eat dinner. They shop. They discover businesses. They bring friends from other communities. They experience downtown Douglas differently. The Martin sits at the intersection of historic preservation, arts and entertainment, community connection, and downtown revitalization.
But perhaps the most important thing about The Martin isn't what has already happened here.
It's what happens next.
Every person who buys a ticket, volunteers for an event, becomes a member, sponsors a season, makes a donation, rents the theatre, brings a child to their first performance, or simply walks through these doors becomes part of a story that began generations ago.
We inherited something worth preserving.
Now we're building something worth passing on.