1,000-seat auditorium: Presentation proposes new fine arts center for Fayette Co. schools

A new Fayette County Public Schools District Fine Arts Center, with a 1,000-seat auditorium, recital hall and several other spaces, was proposed Wednesday night to a school board committee.

The center would be used by all students in the district, as well as the wider community.

The school board’s Local Planning Committee reviewed the proposal written by district Fine Arts Director Katherine Lowther and Beth Randolph, Principal of Fayette’s School for the Creative and Performing Arts.

The committee develops the District Facility Plan, which prioritizes school district construction projects.

No decisions were made Wednesday night. If the current proposal for the project is included on the district facility plan, ultimately school board members would vote on it.

In addition to a 1,000-seat main stage auditorium, the proposal includes a 500-seat recital hall, a 300-seat flexible learning stage that would include a black box theatre, a professional-grade dance studio, a music and arts technology center, an art gallery and exhibition space, instrument repair shop and District Fine Arts offices.

It would also include an expanded and reimagined School for the Creative and Performing Arts Elementary and Middle School for grades K-8, and change from the current school, which serves grades 4-8.

The current elementary and middle school SCAPA at Bluegrass is at 400 Lafayette Parkway in a renovated building on the Lafayette High School campus. The high school portion of the program, grades 9-12, is housed at Lafayette High School, giving them the name SCAPA at Lafayette.

No location was publicly recommended for the proposed new Fine Arts Center on Wednesday night. Cost estimates aren’t part of the proposal yet. Lowther said that conversations between the Kentucky Department of Education and the FCPS facilities team will come if the proposal is approved by the local planning committee.

There are 42,390 students in Fayette County Schools pre-K through 12th grades. There are 33,944, or more than 80.1% of those students, taking Fine Art Courses during the school day. Last year, the district spent $228,000 to rent facilities outside the school district, the proposal said.

The District Fine Arts Center would increase equity and access by providing opportunities for specialized, high-quality, and innovative arts experiences, education, and professional learning, the presentation said.

It would serve as a shared space for school, district, community, and state and national performances, showcases, assessments, competitions, and arts conferences. It would also connect students with external arts organizations, including university and industry partners, the proposal said.

Fine arts in the district include Creative Writing, Dance, Music (General Music, Choir, Band, Orchestra, Other Instrumental) Theatre, Visual Art. Currently, Media Art is under the purview of Career & Technical Education, though there is overlap in teachers of Visual Art.

Students throughout the district could come to the fine arts center for field trips to see visiting artists, local arts organizations, world music and dance ensembles, and have masterclasses with industry experts, the proposal said.

The center would be for gifted and talented enrichment, college and career fairs for the arts, auditions so students could get on-the-spot offers from universities and conservatories, and courses not available at other schools, as well as after-school and summer classes.

The current SCAPA elementary and middle school is highly popular, with 300 students. If the fine arts center were built, about 300 additional students could attend, the proposal said.

The new SCAPA Elementary and Middle School — also called SCAPA at Bluegrass — would have an on-site, fully functional kitchen/cafeteria, science labs, special education resource rooms, dedicated band, orchestra, and choir rooms, with associated practice rooms and performance spaces at the District Fine Arts Center, a playground and gym/multipurpose room.

SCAPA has a $1.1 million capital fund to contribute to the performance space, with money from the Lucille Little Foundation and other donors.

If SCAPA at Bluegrass moves into the new District Fine Arts Center, Lafayette High School SCAPA for grades 9 through 12 would be able to absorb the current SCAPA Elementary and Middle School property for some of their arts or other programming.

That would alleviate some of the overcrowding at Lafayette High School and expand arts offerings for the high school students at SCAPA Lafayette High School and other Lafayette students, the proposal said.

Aquatic center proposal

The proposed fine arts center is in addition to a presentation the committee heard in December for a proposed aquatic center.

The center, estimated at $41 million, could be used by all students in the district, and maybe the community too.

There are 300 swimming athletes in the school district, but the center could also be used for swimming lessons, lifeguard training, and student therapy, district officials said.

As with the proposed arts center, no decisions have been made.

This story was originally published January 31, 2025 at 8:32 AM.