Classes are underway at the Roger Glass Center for the Arts — where on any morning you might find a pre-law student learning stage makeup, a biology major hanging lights in the experimental theater, and a local artist preparing a new exhibit.

“The arts are integral to a University of Dayton education for all students,” said College of Arts and Sciences Dean Danielle Poe. “The Roger Glass Center for the Arts reflects our commitment to providing the highest caliber facilities creating new opportunities to learn, perform and connect with the greater community.” 

The 51,200-square-foot center — named for the late Roger Glass ‘67, who was the lead donor for the project, president and CEO of Marion’s Piazza — has:

• A 386-seat concert hall, which can be acoustically tuned for musical performances from small ensembles to large orchestras.
• An experimental theater with 244 seats and flexible space for performances that allow lighting and sound from any angle.
• A visual arts gallery with space, lighting and audio visual connections for two- and three-dimensional as well as digital art.
• Experiential learning facilities for Flyer TV, Flyer Radio and Flyer News, including a TV studio, control room, video-editing lab, radio studio and audio production suite.

The center brings together assets that were previously spread across six different buildings, making the arts more accessible to the community.

“In this beautiful building, we are truly a landmark,” Poe said. “The design is meant to be invitational with a main entrance facing campus and a main entrance facing the community, and between the two, nothing but glass to really show our dedication to being the University of Dayton.”

The building continues to come to life through the spring semester with the opening of the first gallery exhibit "Get Together" Jan. 27 with works from 89 artists; a grand opening celebration April 13; and the first show in the experimental theater with Godspell April 19-20. A full list of events is available here. More details on the grand opening will be announced.

The center, designed to meet LEED-gold environmental standards, was designed in consultation with local arts organizations to complement existing venues in the region. It was supported by more than 120 donors, including faculty and staff, and Martha M. Walter, whose 2002 bequest for a future arts center was critical to making the facility possible.