An artist rendering of the expanded Walton Arts Center from Dickson Street
Screen capture
A $23 million expansion and renovation of the Walton Arts Center’s Dickson Street location is officially underway.
Officials with the arts center held a groundbreaking ceremony on Tuesday to celebrate the beginning of the project.
The groundbreaking also served as the kickoff for the public phase of the capital campaign to raise the final $2.5 million needed to complete the facility. Walton Arts Center CEO Peter Lane said the arts center has raised over $20.5 million toward the $23 million needed to complete the arts center, and called on the community to come together to help raise the rest.
“This is a historic day in the life of Walton Arts Center,” Lane said. “The expansion of Walton Arts Center will transform the relationship between Walton Arts Center patrons, artists and children while helping to dramatically impact Dickson Street and the entertainment district.
“We will continue to bring great performing artists and entertainers from around the world and the expansion and renovation will allow us to continue to build upon that success,” he said.
The expansion will add 30,000 square feet to the facility, and will include a new atrium that connects to Dickson Street, significant renovations and expansion of Starr Theater, expanded space for back of house technical and theatrical equipment and new administrative offices for Walton Arts Center staff.
Officials also unveiled a video tour (below) of the new facility.
More information about the expansion is here, and donor levels and recognition information for the capital campaign is also available at waltonartscenter.com.
The facility will close beginning July 1, and reopen for the Walton Arts Center’s 2015-16 season in November.
Construction will continue through the season, and is scheduled to be complete in Nov. 2016.
Video tour of expanded Walton Arts Center
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