We Got A Seat With Your Name On It

This building has been gathering us since 1891. It was a church before it was a stage, and honestly, it never stopped being one — the hymns just multiplied.

This year, the performance hall turned sanctuary holds Ta-Nehisi Coates trading truths across three generations. Phonte and YahZarah bringing it all the way back home. Gospel that makes the walls shake and grown-folks' prose that makes the pews blush. A parking lot that turns into a dance floor. Bedtime stories under the real Carolina night sky. Old things seen freshly. New things that feel homemade and personal — because they are.

We're not asking you to visit. Because that would make you a guest. And you’re never a guest at home. So whether it's your first time or your thousandth, we’ve been expecting you. 



There’s a seat with your name on it. Come on in and claim it.

This year, we're introducing TWO WAYS TO

COME HOME TO HAYTI

RENT OUR SPACE

Hayti has launched a rental program that opens Hayti's historic Sanctuary and Community Room to corporations, nonprofits, and community organizations. Revenue from these corporate bookings flows directly into funding free space for artists. Every event held in this stunning setting is a very direct investment in Durham's vibrant creative community.

Ready to host your arts, cultural, and community events (meetings, workshops, and book signings) at Hayti? We would love to host you. Submit your rental request below, and we will be in touch within 5 business days. Here's what to expect:

• Fill out the inquiry form below. It takes two minutes!
• We'll confirm your details and date within 5 business days.
• You'll receive a custom proposal with everything included: space, rates, and any add-ons.
• Sign your contract and pay your deposit online.
• We'll check in a week before your event to ensure all is ready!
• Show up, gather, and leave the rest to us.
  

Apply to THE HAYTI ARTIST MEMBERSHIP

Artists and creatives, welcome home.

We're launching the Hayti Artist Membership — which offers access to free and subsidized studio space, priority booking, and a growing community of artists who gather regularly to share work, swap ideas, and support each other.

Ready to join? Here's how:

• Apply below. The application takes about five minutes!
• We review on a rolling basis and follow up within two weeks.
• Once approved, you'll get an invitation to set up your account and choose your membership tier.
• Pay your dues ($10, $20, or $35/month — or request a hardship waiver, no questions asked).
• Start booking. Free access to our classrooms and dance room is yours from day one.

About Us

Today, Hayti is poised to enter its next chapter—not merely as a venue or event space, but as an immovable cultural anchor of Black scholarship, art, and entrepreneurship. It is a living, member-supported institution that preserves Black cultural memory while fueling Black futures—redistributing power, resources, and opportunity through grantmaking, partnerships, and programs designed by and for the community it serves.

our story →