Arts Facilities

For the first time in the school’s history, all the arts are under one roof! In May of 2004 hundreds of trustees, alumni, faculty, students and friends gathered to open the new $10 million Arts Center with a gala jazz concert. The brick building had formerly been the school’s gym from 1911 to 1960 and then had had served as an auditorium until 2002. The old space was totally gutted and renovated, and a new addition doubling the square footage of the old gym was added perpendicular to the original building. The Arts Center graces the quad’s southern edge and shines as a beacon to artistic activity on the campus.

The Gardiner Theater named for former board chair Robert Gardiner features a 400 seat handicap accessible theater with ideal sightlines for plays, musicals, and concerts. The stage has a full fly space and is surrounded by a set shop, dressing rooms, and a rehearsal room. Students interested in all aspects of theater production have a first rate facility in which to learn their skills.

Over the years the choir and instrumental music students had been spread out all over campus. In the new facility there are acoustically designed rooms for the choir, jazz band, string ensemble, and small practice rooms. Throughout the class day and into the evening students stream in and out of the building going to classes, rehearsals or individual lessons.

The ground floor of the Arts Center is devoted to spaces for the visual arts. The Photo Lab has 12 enlargers and two other rooms for rolling film, drying and mounting prints, and storage. The Pottery Room has nine wheels, a slab roller, and three kilns for oxidation firings. A large painting and drawing studio can hold up to two classes at one time and the smaller Veith Studio is used by advanced students. All the studios have abundant natural light and special spotlights, and the student art work enlivens the hallways. The slide viewing room is equipped with slide projectors, a VCR and DVD player and LCD projector.

While many campus buildings have busy times and “slow” times during the day, the Arts Center is alive with the creative energies of the students from morning to night and weekdays and weekends. The lights are ever bright at the Arts Center.