The new Wilsonville High School Performing Arts Center aims to increase access to the arts, providing students with the opportunity to pursue their passion for performing and consider it as a potential career path. This state-of-the-art facility offers flexible spaces that foster creativity and support performing arts education.

The project involved a renovation of the school’s former theater into a Career Technical Education classroom, Robotics Lab, and new Black Box theater, as well as a 30,000 sf expansion featuring a new auditorium. The auditorium contains a 600-seat multi-use theater, a scene shop, and additional support spaces. The building’s exterior, designed to resemble a stage curtain, along with its interior spaces, invites students, audiences, and the community to engage with the performing arts.

Each space within the new Performing Arts Center serves multiple purposes, offering versatility in both performances and educational activities. The main south lobby incorporates materials that reference backstage catwalks and functional theatrical rigging that allow it to be both a classroom and performance space. The north lobby functions as an informal green room where students can celebrate with family and friends after performances. Exterior plazas are equipped to host outdoor performances, creating additional gathering spaces for students.

The new Performing Arts Center is not only drawing more students into the arts programs but is also serving as a cultural hub for the surrounding community, offering spaces that encourage creative expression and elevate the arts.