University of Alabama moves forward with $50 million performing arts center

Jasmine Hollie, Tuscaloosa News
·2 min read

The University of Alabama is one step closer to developing its new performing arts academic center.

UA faculty, students and alumni gathered Friday to celebrate the development of the Smith Family Center for Performing Arts.

More: 'A diamond in the rough': University of Alabama has high hopes for performing arts center

The Smith Family Center for Performing Arts is named after UA graduate Clay Smith, his wife, Cameron, and mother Linda Smith in recognition of their support for building.

The $50 million state-of-the-art performing arts facility, which is under construction on the historic Bryce Hospital campus, will connect to UA's new welcome center.

Part of the finished first floor of the Bryce Main building were on display during the groundbreaking for the Smith Family Center For The Performing Arts at the University of Alabama Friday, Oct. 20, 2023.
Part of the finished first floor of the Bryce Main building were on display during the groundbreaking for the Smith Family Center For The Performing Arts at the University of Alabama Friday, Oct. 20, 2023.

UA President Stuart Bell said the performing arts center will be a "gathering place" and leave a lasting impact on both UA students and the community.

"The Smith Center for the Performing Arts is going to illuminate our mission here at the University of Alabama. It will offer our students incredible opportunities," Bell said.

Bell thanked the Smith family for their support of the project.

The development of the performing arts center was boosted by a historic $20 million donation made by the Smith family, which marked the largest charitable gift for an academic facility in UA history.

Members of the Smith family, from left, Cameron, Clay and Linda Smith, listen to speakers during the groundbreaking for the Smith Family Center For The Performing Arts at the University of Alabama Friday, Oct. 20, 2023.
Members of the Smith family, from left, Cameron, Clay and Linda Smith, listen to speakers during the groundbreaking for the Smith Family Center For The Performing Arts at the University of Alabama Friday, Oct. 20, 2023.

Bell also noted that the Smith family's donation helped push the Rising Tide Capital Campaign past the $1 billion mark and closer to the campaign's $1.5 billion goal. With the money from the capital campaign, UA aims to increase student scholarships, boost faculty research, improve campus facilities and continue the momentum of success in athletics.

Clay Smith said his family has always had a passion for the arts and made the donation in memory of Clay's father, Mark C. Smith, a Huntsville native and co-founder of the the global telecommunications company ADTRAN. Mark Smith died in 2007.

"Our passion ... over so many years has been the love and appreciation of the arts," Clay Smith said.

Dignitaries turn dirt during the groundbreaking for the Smith Family Center For The Performing Arts at the University of Alabama Friday, Oct. 20, 2023.
Dignitaries turn dirt during the groundbreaking for the Smith Family Center For The Performing Arts at the University of Alabama Friday, Oct. 20, 2023.

The performing arts center will also house UA's Department of Theatre and Dance and include four performance theaters: a black box theater, a 350-seat proscenium-style theater, a 450-seat venue specifically designed for dance and a dance studio theater.

Pending final approval, the Smith Family Center for the Performing Arts is scheduled to be complete in 2026.

Reach Jasmine Hollie at JHollie@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on The Tuscaloosa News: Curtain rises on UA's construction of $50M performing arts center