Bold vision, united efforts: The Arts United Center celebrates reopening

After months of construction and years of planning, the Arts United Center in downtown Fort Wayne has reopened. On Thursday morning, Arts United staff, board members, city officials, and others gathered to celebrate the newly expanded and renovated building. 

Dan Ross, president and CEO of Arts United, alongside Brad Smith, President of Hagerman, Inc.; Mayor Sharon Tucker; Dave Haist, Board Chair for Arts United; and Zach Benedict, President of MKM Architecture + Design, cut the ceremonial ribbon outside the new lobby, on the west side of the building, which is also home to the new Arts Education Wing.

During his speech, Ross drew parallels between the work done to create the building in the 1960s and the new renovations.

“This community had a bold vision in 1960 to create a campus for the arts in downtown Fort Wayne,” he said. “It took decades to achieve that vision, but as a community, we had the perseverance to make the vision happen. Our community had an equally bold vision about 10 years ago to expand and modernize this community theatre into one of the most accessible and technically advanced theatres in the country.”

The $40 million project made upgrades to the existing structure, which was designed by Louis I. Kahn and opened 52 years ago, and added a new lobby. Crews have been working since August of 2024 and are continuing to put the finishing touches as the Arts United Center prepares to welcome audiences, crews and performers back into the building after 13 months.

Inside, guests will find updates to the box office and concessions, as well as new additions like a merchandise area and a larger women’s restroom in the lobby. Connected to the original lobby is a newly constructed Floyd A. & Betty Lou Lancia Community Arts Education Wing Lobby, which features a mural from Phresh Laundry (Theopolis Smith III), an elevator with second-floor access, and a family restroom.

The theatre features new seating, taking the 660-seat venue up to 725 seats, including a variety of accessible seating at the front and back of the room. Miriam Morgan, vice president of operations, explained that their seating upgrades were less about ADA compliance and more about universal design.

“For us, that meant ensuring that people of all abilities could encounter and use this venue in a really comfortable way,” Morgan explained during a tour given after the ribbon cutting. “We wanted to make sure that wheelchair seating felt like it was part of the configuration in the auditorium.”

To achieve this, small sections of seats can be unpinned and rolled away, so audience members who use wheelchairs can sit next to the people they came with, rather than being sent to an open portion of the auditorium. For guests who prefer to transfer from a mobility device, new seats feature ambulatory arms.

Arts United also made significant technological upgrades to the space – a key part of their project. 

“Today, we have returned the building to its original intent, equipped with leading-edge technology for today and for the future,” Ross said. “The automated rigging system, the theatrical lighting system, the audio and visual systems, the communication systems – all are state-of-the-art in today’s theatrical world.”

Director of Communications Rachelle Reinking notes they also added an acoustical shell to the stage, which can be moved and stored off stage when not in use, thanks to the now extended right wing.

“The acoustical shell helps the orchestra to be able to hear the other members,” Reinking explained. “It was just not set up in that way before, so now we have the opportunity for the orchestra and vocal music to better perform and feel comfortable and actually hear each other.”

Speaking of the orchestra, Reinking adds that the pit is now able to provide extra seating when it’s not in use. Previously, the orchestra pit was only open to those utilizing the stage.

While accessibility for attendees was a top priority, Arts United also wanted to ensure that accessibility extended to their behind-the-scenes spaces as well. Reinking said spaces like the ones used for managing the stage and the sound box have also been made accessible, making it so individuals who use mobility devices can participate fully. 

The new elevator in the west side lobby makes their two second-floor studios accessible as well. Reinking said these extra spaces can serve as additional performance spaces, making the Arts United Center home to three stages.

Included in the renovations were new administrative office spaces for Civic Theatre, a resident organization at the Arts United Center alongside Fort Wayne Youtheatre. Previously, the Civic Theatre had the only scene shop inside, and after these updates, they retain a private scene shop separate from the new community scene shop added in the east expansion.

“That is going to be available to all organizations, so that they can have a dedicated space to scenic construction, which is hard to come by,” Reinking told Input Fort Wayne, adding that the new community scene shop was also designed to be accessible and fully equipped with new technology. “The goal was to equip it with a bunch of technology, so we’ve got 3D printing available and the ability to use some of the table saws if you’re in a wheelchair.”

Some of their accessibility requests, like the accessible table saws, were new for the construction team, so they ended up creating custom builds. Reinking said this work has inspired their partners to explore more intentional building as it relates to universal design.

“Because we have been so intentional about the universal design in this building, including backstage, not just the patrons, there are now other companies who are looking into that and opening their eyes to the level of accessibility that can be accommodated,” Reinking explained.

Ross attributed the fruition of this bold vision to the united efforts of people in the community.  

“Thanks to the united effort of hundreds of people in our community, working together, we have made that vision a reality. This project has required the dedicated work of many, many individuals over the past ten years,” he said at the ceremony. “Arts United board members; committee members; Arts United staff members, both past and present; elected officials; economic development leaders; community partners; the talented teams from Hagerman Construction and the MKM Architecture; DLR Group; Theater Planning and Design; all our great subcontractors; and, of course, our very generous funders.

All of these individuals working together have achieved this transformative project to provide greater access to arts experiences for the people of our community.”

Arts United is hosting “Ghost Light to Spotlight: Arts United Center Reopening Community Celebration,” a free event, on October 25, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. This event is an opportunity for the public to experience the improved patron experience in the theatre with a variety of performances. For more information on the event visit artscampusfw.org/reopening-community-celebration.

“50 years ago, when Kahn visited the campus, he said something that I’ve been waiting 10 years to say. He said that the city is measured by its institutions, its growth is felt through the works of its leaders, and their sensitivity to the desires of the people and their ability to serve their desire of expression. And I think the journey of this campus serves as 50 years of proof of our commitment not only to ourselves but to the arts. And that leadership has never been more apparent than it has over the last decade, as the community committed itself to ensuring that this institution not only stayed operational but received the investments needed to remain relevant for future generations.”

– Zach Benedict, President, MKM Architecture + Design

“This project marks the Hagerman Group’s return, as we were the original constructor of this iconic, uniquely designed facility back in the early 1970s. Like the current renovation and addition project, the initial construction relied on community fundraising, ultimately gathering four million dollars, just a small portion compared to the cost of today’s work. It’s remarkable how the value of the dollar has changed over the past 50 years. Having the opportunity to partner with like-minded organizations is always key to the success of any project. Our teams have the same vision from day one. That is, create a space that is representative of its original design and maximizes the opportunity for accessibility to all and modernizes its features with best-of-class theatrical technology, seating, and support spaces. This facility is equipped with state-of-the-art features and measures to enhance sound, treat acoustics, and, most importantly, create magic for its patrons.”

– Brad Smith, President, Hagerman, Inc.