Brown announces plans for new performing arts center

BROWN UNIVERSITY President Christina H. Paxson said she hopes the new arts center will benefit the greater arts community in addition to the Ivy League school. / PBN FILE PHOTO/TRACY JENKINS
BROWN UNIVERSITY President Christina H. Paxson said she hopes the new arts center will benefit the greater arts community in addition to the Ivy League school. / PBN FILE PHOTO/TRACY JENKINS

PROVIDENCE – The Brown Corporation announced on Monday it has authorized the commencement of the selection process for an architect to design a new campus performing arts center.

Brown University President Christina H. Paxson, who hoped the center will benefit the greater arts community in addition to the Ivy League school, said in a statement: “At Brown, we see the arts as a catalyst for creativity, discovery and innovation.”

A vote on Feb. 11, during the Ccorporation’s annual winter meeting, by the Corporation of Brown University’s budget and finance committee, gave the green light for the new facility.

The architectural selection process is expected to take three months, which will include programming proposals and aligning initiatives with the functionality of the anticipated center.

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Brown expects the new performing arts center to be located between Angell and Waterman streets.

Currently, the proposed home of the performing arts center hosts a parking lot, two academic buildings and three residences. If this site is confirmed as the center’s future home, the Corporation hopes to vote on it in May.

The university’s desire for an on campus performing arts center, accessible to all arts departments and groups, dates back to 1974 when the Committee on the Arts wrote such a facility would be “a cultural force of great value to Brown University and to the community, greater than can be provided by these departments individually.”

Joseph Butch Rovan, a professor of music, said a central, on campus performing arts center will help students better understand and pursue cross-departmental arts-related fields of study.

“These elements will expand the possibilities for creating and staging new works that combine art forms, reflecting Brown’s emphasis on collaboration and discovery,” Rovan said in a statement. “In addition, visiting artists, faculty and students will be able to document their productions for further study and artistic use.”

Currently included in the initial stages conceptualization of the space is a dance studio, practice rooms and instrument studios, professional sound recording, multimedia digital production capabilities, art galleries and a large venue.

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  1. Knowing that the Bleeding Heart, Liberal Left, especially the “Do-Gooders” like to rub elbows with Entertainment Industry and Hollywood Elite, occasionally bringing them in to do so…also accepting their brats as students, it sure would be nice if they would do something similar for our ROTC Students (Officer Candidates) that only recently were allowed back on campus after having been, very disgustingly so, banned for years!
    As a matter of fact, Brown can afford this kind of luxury…how about they finally start paying greater taxes/fees to the City of Providence for the millions of dollars in services it provides!