Arts Council of Princeton

Housed in the Paul Robeson Center for the Arts on Witherspoon Street, the Arts Council of Princeton is the town's community arts hub — a nonprofit with galleries, classrooms, and a black-box performance space called the Solley Theater. Once a month that theater turns into Princeton's longest-running open mic stage, Cafe Improv, now in its fourth decade.

Atmosphere and Setting

The Solley Theater is an intimate, listening-room-style black-box space rather than a bar or restaurant, giving performers a real stage, sound support, and an attentive audience. The vibe is warm and low-pressure — the kind of room built to encourage first-timers alongside seasoned local performers.

Cafe Improv

Cafe Improv is held monthly on a Saturday evening from 7:00 PM to 10:00 PM. For more than 30 years the show, hosted by John Irving and Tom Florek, has connected beginning and professional performers across music, poetry, comedy, and more. Admission is a modest $2 for the general public and $1 for Arts Council members, and performers can register in advance at cafeimprov.com or sign up at the door.

Other Programming

The Arts Council also hosts the monthly Story & Verse poetry and spoken-word open mic in the same Solley Theater, along with a full slate of gallery exhibitions, classes, and community events throughout the year, making the Paul Robeson Center a steady gathering point for Princeton's performing and visual artists alike.

Good to Know

The Arts Council of Princeton is located at 102 Witherspoon Street, Princeton, NJ. Because Cafe Improv runs monthly rather than weekly, check the Arts Council's calendar or cafeimprov.com to confirm the next date.