The U of A will host a groundbreaking ceremony for the restoration of the Fine Arts Center at 11 a.m. Tuesday, Nov. 29, at the courtyard off Garland Avenue. The event is free and open to the public.

The restoration of the center begins January 2023 with plans to reopen Fall 2024. Architect firms Deborah Berke Partners (DBP) and Miller Boskus Lack (MBL) of Fayetteville have designed the restoration to preserve Edward Durell Stone's vision while transforming the building for today's needs. Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences' Department of Music, Department of Theatre and School of Art, as well as the Fine Arts Library call portions of the Fine Arts Center home.

Current School of Art students will participate in the ceremony alongside university leadership. All guests are invited to share memories and future aspirations on a printed sketch of the Fine Arts Center, an archived image from the University Libraries Special Collections. 

Fine Arts Library

An architectural rendering shows the Fine Arts Library after renovation.

Stella Boyle Smith Concert Hall

An architectural rendering shows the Stella Boyle Smith Concert Hall after renovation.

Fine Arts Classroom

An architectural rendering shows what renovation classrooms would look like after renovation.

Fine Arts Center Lobby

An architectural rendering shows the space between the University Theatre and the Concert Hall reopened as a public lobby and commons area.