The Isabel Bader Centre for the Performing Arts is an 90,000-square-foot world-class facility in Kingston, Ontario, featuring a variety of spaces for live music and performances, including:
- Jennifer Velva Bernstein Performance Hall: 567-seat state-of-the-art concert hall
- Power Corporation of Canada Studio Theatre: A 100-seat black box studio theatre; completely flexible space designed to allow for almost any configuration
- The Gordon Vogt Film Screening Room: 92-seat capacity with steeply raked seating and state-of-the-art digital projector
- Principal Emerita Karen Hitchcock Rehearsal Hall: Mimics the acoustics of the performance hall to allow musicians to practice in the rehearsal hall, then move into the performance hall seamlessly, avoiding surprises
For performance bookings, please contact the Isabel’s Booking Coordinator, 613-533-6000, ext. 75822
Tickets and Box Office
Contact the Box Office for any questions related to performances or tickets
- Hours: Monday – Friday, 12:30 pm – 4:30 pm.
- Phone: 613.533.2424 or 1.855.533.2424
Parking
The Isabel has limited parking. Our regular parking fees are $2.00/hour (or parking permit) Monday to Friday, 8am-5pm. Additional pay and display parking is available in the Corrections Canada lot adjacent to our lot at the bottom of the drive and the upper Corrections Canada lot off King St. We offer $5 event parking when Event Parking signs are posted, on evenings and weekends.
Cars can drive in to drop off passengers at the front doors and turn around. This drop-off zone is limited to 5 minutes. Parking is strictly prohibited in the area outside the front doors of the Isabel. This is a fire route and should only be used for drop-off/pick-up purposes to ensure the safety of all.
Additional Parking
“Pay and Display” parking is also available in the Providence Care (St Mary’s of the Lake) lot at 340 Union Street, where they have set aside 80 (unmarked) spots for us. There is a walkway onto Ellerbeck from the SW corner of the lot. There is also a pedestrian activated traffic light at the top of our driveway so you can cross King Street safely.
Please be respectful of the driveways of residents if you are parking on the side streets.
The Corrections Canada lot flanking the north part of our property is not available for Isabel parking except for select performances (and has been barricaded).
Accessible Parking
A parking drop-off area is located at the front entry.
There are 5 accessible visitor parking spaces in the small upper lot across from the entrance. Additional spaces are located in the west parking lot at the bottom of the drive in front of the stage door. Please contact our Box Office for advice on accessible parking at 613-533-2424.
Directions for arriving by car
From Montréal
- West on Autoroute 720, then west on Autoroute 20, then west on Ontario’s Highway 401
- About 290 km, or about 3 hours by car
From Ottawa
- South on Highway 416, and west on Highway 401
- About 200 km, or about 2 hours by car
From Toronto
- East on Highway 401
- About 260 km, or about 2.75 hours by car
From Syracuse
- North on I-81 to the border of Canada
- West on Thousand Islands Bridge to Highway 401
- West on Highway 401
- About 215 km, or about 2.5 hours by car
- Follow Highway 401 to Kingston and exit south on Sir John A. Macdonald Blvd. (exit 615). Follow this street south to King Street, which is at the ninth – and final – set of traffic lights before the lake. Turn left (east) onto King Street West and continue to 390 King Street West, located on the right hand side.
By Kingston Transit (public transit)
- A Kingston Transit bus shelter, known as the “Isabel/Tett Centres” is located at the entrance to the Isabel. Express routes 501 and 502 service this stop, as does route 3.
- Please visit the Kingston Transit Trip Planner or the Kingston Transit site for schedules, routes, fares and additional information.
Arriving by train, inter-city bus, air, and taxi
- Train service to Kingston arrives at the Kingston VIA Rail Station
- Inter-city Bus service arrives at the John Counter Blvd. Bus Terminal
- Flights arrive at Norman Rogers Airport (YGK)
- Taxis can drop passengers off at the front door.
- We will advise the cab companies of the anticipated end of our concerts with the hope that we’ll have taxis waiting to take you home.
Note: The Isabel Bader Centre for the Performing Arts is about a $15 taxi ride from the train station, bus terminal, and airport.
By Foot
The Isabel is within walking distance (15-minute walk) of Queen’s and its surrounding neighourhoods. A crossing intersection is located near the Isabel to help pedestrians safely cross King Street West.
By Bicycle
There are bicycle racks in front of the main entrance.
