BY HANNAH JOHNSON
A closer look
Stay tuned
The Visual and Performing Arts Center is expected to be completed and operational by spring 2026, Sumrow said. FISD is expecting to host grand opening activities later this school year, Hazzard said. “With this facility, we know the best is yet to come,” he said. “I can’t wait to see our students performing and showcasing in this facility.”
The district’s student opportunity model played a role when designing the facility, Hazzard previously told Community Impact. The district operates a higher number of elementary, middle and high schools as part of its student opportunity model. The district’s guiding philosophy increases student engagement by allowing a greater percentage of students to participate in leadership roles. With fewer schools, there are less opportunities for roles in student organizations, o cials said. Students will bene t from the ability to work in a professional theater space, said Bob Zak, president of Theatre Frisco, in an email. Fine arts students will be able to learn by working with pro- fessional-level lighting systems, sound software and more, he said.
November Voters approve a fine arts center in a $691M bond package. November The school board awards architectural and engineering services to Corgan. December The first renderings are revealed. March Officials set a maximum price of $54.94M, and construction begins. May Staff and students sign one of the final building beams before facade work begins. Spring The center is projected to be completed and operational.
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The center will feature a performance hall, art gallery space, multipurpose rooms and o ce space.
2020
RENDERING COURTESY FRISCO ISD
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Measuring the impact
2023
likely to pass Texas Success Initiative, or TSI, criteria, according to the 2025 State of the Arts Report by the Texas Cultural Trust. Studies have also shown that 94% of high school students engaged in arts programs attended a four-year college, according to the report. FISD currently has 75% of middle school students and 45% of high school students involved in ne arts programs during the 2025-26 school year. District programs are expected to keep the facil- ity booked more than 160 days per year. Commu- nity groups will also be able to use the center.
The new performing arts center will allow students to experience the discipline and expec- tations needed in a professional theatre space, Zak said. Exposure to ne arts, such as music, theater or visual arts, can help foster creativity and empathy in children, he said. “Arts organizations create a sense of place and belonging, and bring people from di erent backgrounds together, enabling dialogue and understanding,” Zak said. Involvement in ne arts is also shown to improve a student’s education. Texas students involved in arts programs are up to 46% more
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SOURCES: CORGAN ARCHITECTS, FRISCO ISD/COMMUNITY IMPACT
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FRISCO EDITION
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