Denver Academy Donors, Students and Staff Sign Construction Beam for New Performing Arts Center

DENVER (March 2, 2023) -- Denver Academy (DA), an independent school serving students with diverse learning profiles in grades 2-12, hosted a beam signing celebration in January for its new Performing Arts Center (PAC). Construction for the PAC began last summer and is expected to be completed late this year or early 2024. 

 

The beam signing celebration included Performing Arts Center major donors, Denver Academy seniors and theater students, as well as DA staff members. Later, the beam was hoisted into position atop the structure of the building.

 

The new Denver Academy Performing Arts Center will be 16,000 square feet and will replace the school’s current theater on campus which has seating for just 49. The Center will provide an inspiring setting for students to create, perform, and thrive, and for more audience members to be a part of the experience. Highlights of the building include a grand 250-seat theater with sectional seating and a mezzanine, a black box theater, and vocal and instrumental music classroom space. The building will allow the school to increase the number of performing arts offerings that can coincide, space to train singers for musicals, and room for building and storing sets, props, and costumes. It will also offer improved sound, lighting, and AV systems and a central lobby to house a ticket office and a location for pre- and post-performance functions.

 

“The arts are important for education,” says Denver Academy Dean of Arts & Media Katherine Bradford. “Especially for our community, a lot of kids find their home in the arts, and we’re so glad to be able to give them a first-class home!” 

 

The PAC also opens up possibilities for community engagement. The new building will offer expanded summer program opportunities and programming possibilities outside of the regular school year. Collaborations with neighboring non-profit organizations, community partners, and/or local arts organizations are also possible with this new space. 

 

 

The Performing Arts Center will complete the construction projects funded by DA’s $25 million 50th Anniversary Building on Excellence capital campaign launched in 2016. In addition to the Performing Arts Center, construction projects have included the James E. Loan Athletic Center and a renovated Elementary Building, both completed in 2019. The Building on Excellence campaign also raised $2 million for DA’s Endowment Fund. 

 

Additional funds are still needed to complete the Performing Arts Center. Two generous donors have provided a challenge to match up to $500,000 to reach the fundraising goal for the building. Find out more and donate to the campaign here.

 

 

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Founded in 1972, Denver Academy (DA) believes that students thrive when taught in the way they learn best. DA is one of the top schools in the nation dedicated to teaching students with varied learning profiles, including those with dyslexia and ADHD. DA’s innovative, proven learning model is based on the balanced application of classroom management, information processing, and academic literacy. Small class sizes of 12-14 students facilitate student-centered differentiated instruction. Flexible placement and several academic levels within each core subject, including honors classes and advanced coursework, allow faculty to teach to each student’s optimal level. For more information, visit www.denveracademy.org.

 

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(Additional photos and video available upon request.)

Download the PDF here.

For DA Performing Arts Center campaign information: 

Karen Lozow, Denver Academy Director of Development, (303) 777-5870 ext. 218

klozow@denveracademy.org