The governor of Illinois, Gov Pritzker, has announced US$119 million for the construction of a Center for Performing Arts at Western Illinois University. The Governor’s unprecedented, bipartisan Rebuild Illinois capital plan has made the financing feasible.
The new Center for Performing Arts will serve as a cultural and performing arts destination. It will serve the campus community, the City of Macomb, and the whole western Illinois region. The College of Fine Arts and Communication (COFAC) will thus be able to consolidate into a more central location.
Also Read: Construction of CloudHQ new data center campus in Mount Prospect, Illinois, begins
In addition to supporting the academic mission and programs at the WIU College of Fine Arts and Communication. When finished, the 100,000-square-foot structure will provide considerable performance space, offices, and practice rooms. Furthermore, the studios will support the interdisciplinary work of Western Illinois University students.
More on what the Center for Performing Arts at Western Illinois University has to offer
For music, theatre, and dance productions as well as regional and national touring acts, The Great Hall, an 850-seat Proscenium Theatre, will offer state-of-the-art performance space.
For university plays, the smaller Black Box Theatre will offer a more personal setting. It will offer academic and performance opportunities that rival the excellence of Western programs. This is thanks to the CPA, the first state-funded building for WIU since the 1970s, noted COFAC Dean Billy Clow.
“We congratulate Gov. J.B. Pritzker, Martin Torres, the General Assembly, and the Capital Development Board for keeping the construction of this renowned, much-anticipated Center for the Performing Arts moving forward. We like following the building’s development and eagerly anticipate the day the big opening may be celebrated.
Western’s academic standing will be improved by the Center for Performing Arts, which will also give our community access to facilities for modern theatre, dance, and music. This is a genuine investment in west-central Illinois and WIU. For their commitment to this project, we once again express our gratitude to the Governor, our legislators, the CDB, businesses, alumni, friends, and donors “Guiyou Huang, president of WIU, remarked.
