On Wednesday, Oregon State officials announced both a $25 million donation and plans for a new performing arts & education complex on the campus which will house OSU's music and theater programs in addition to a variety of other initiatives.
The $25 million gift comes from an anonymous donor in the Portland area. The total project is estimated to cost $60 million. OSU officials announced a campaign to raise an additional $5 million for the project and said they would approach a future Legislature for approval of $30 million in state bonds.
The current timeline calls for the project to be completed in 2022, Larry Rodgers, dean of OSU's College of Liberal Arts, said in an interview.
A primary idea driving the project, Rodgers said, is that the new center would be much more than a spot for community members to gather for cultural events. "This has to be for the students," he said. "If the community benefits from that, then it's a win-win for everyone."
Rodgers said OSU officials continue to have conversations about placing a stand-alone art museum in the vicinity of the performing arts center.