The Babcock Theater was shuttered following a ceiling collapse in May 2025. When the collapse occurred, the Babcock was leased from the City of Billings by Art House Cinema and Pub, and the events at the theater accounted for 30% of the operations’ annual income. Insurance issues complicated future planning for several months, but by the beginning of the new year, the City of Billings and Art House management had agreed that ownership needed to change hands. In April, the city sold the theater to Art House for a dollar, and the organization was freed up to begin repairs. Construction crews set up scaffolding June 1st.
The Babcock Theater will celebrate its 120th year in 2027.
Art House/Babcock Executive Director Matt Blakeslee says the Billings community is interested in continuing the facility’s diverse performance history as it moves into the future.
He says the $5 million renovation will be gradual, but adding the new technologies to advance the uses, especially for live events, is part of the planning now.
Blakeslee adds the ArtHouse staff is excited about the building’s upgrades.
Construction continues throughout the summer, with a target date for a soft opening in the fall, and full-out operations in January, 2027.
For more on the Babcock’s restoration, visit arthousebillings.com.
