The Downing-Gross Cultural Arts Center is a multi-purpose cultural space in the Southeast community of Newport News, Virginia. Originally built as the Walter Reed School in 1917, our historic building has been restored and open to the public since October 2008. In addition to the 276-seat Ella Fitzgerald Theater, we have rooms for meetings and events, as well as studio space for visual and performing arts. The Downing-Gross Cultural Arts Center is a facility of the City of Newport News department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism.