The Gaertner Performing Arts Center is located in the north-eastern part of campus between the Beto Criminal Justice Center and the Music Building.
The $38.5 Million, 91,976 square foot facility houses the departments of music, theater, and dance and includes the 800-seat Payne Concert Hall, 160-seat dance theater, 175-seat recital hall, an outdoor performance area, practice and rehearsal rooms, costume storage, and offices.
The university first attempted an immense Fine Arts Center to house the art, dance, drama, and music departments in the late 1970s. Planned for the northeastern corner of campus, a shortage of funds decreased the project size and only the drama department received the completed facilities (the University Theatre Center). This process repeated itself a decade later when inadequate funds again yielded a single building (the Fine Arts Building) that eventually housed the department of music [1].
This building was discussed as far back as 2006 as home for the departments of music, theater, and dance (the latter of which utilized AB3 for over 20 years).
As the flagship building of the College of Fine Arts and Mass Communication, the PAC also contains the Dean’s Suite as well as a café, green room, and lounge.
