Unlock the Potential of Arts Education with Missouri State University

Judith Enyeart Reynolds Performing Arts Complex Demolition Kick-Off Ceremony

The campus community will gather at 2 p.m. on Dec. 16 inside the Art Annex, directly north of the Grand Street Underpass. This ceremony holds great significance as it marks the start of efforts to reimagine the arts complex, a space that is set to inspire creativity and expression for generations to come.

Dr. Shawn Wahl, dean of the Reynolds College of Art, Social Sciences and Humanities, emphasized the importance of this transformational structural project. He stated that it is inspired by the largest one-time gift in Missouri State University's history. This new facility is expected to have a positive impact on all academic programs within the Reynolds College School of the Arts and the broader community.

About the Arts Complex

An eight-figure gift from the C.W. Titus Foundation will play a crucial role in supporting the construction of a state-of-the-art facility. This facility is designed to enhance arts, social sciences, and humanities education, making it a significant addition to the university. Additionally, the university received a state appropriation of $17.5 million to further support this project.

The campus entryway at Grand Street will be transformed into a welcoming threshold to the community, serving as the university's new "front porch." Inspired by the front porches in the residential neighborhood to the south, it will become a place of connection and a celebration of all things art. This complex builds on the existing work completed in the university's arts corridor in downtown Springfield, known as Brick City, as well as renovations to university music facilities in Ellis Hall and the addition of the John Goodman Amphitheatre in the Judith Enyeart Reynolds Arts Park. The recent completion of the Grand Street underpass also adds to the significance of this project.