The University of Texas at Brownsville and Texas Southmost College launched a revitalization of fine arts in Brownsville with the ground breaking of The Arts Center Wednesday, March 20. 

Behind Jacob Brown Auditorium, the future site of the $25 million center, the long-awaited kick-off was celebrated with vital donations, celebration and performances by student performances, including the debut of a newly arranged “Hail the Orange and White,” UTB/TSC’s alma mater.  

“Our regions love for the arts dates back 135 years,” said UTB/TSC President Dr. Juliet V. Garcia. “The last revival was with the construction of Jacob Brown, which still remains the largest venue in Brownsville. Now, again a revival is taking place because the university has joined many groups in the community to make it happen.” 

Helping to breathe more life into the arts in Brownsville through The Arts Center is a generous donation by longtime patrons of the university Gloria and James Zellerbach, which was announced during the ceremony.  

“The Zellerbachs have been a part of the university for almost 25 years, they were one of the first members of the Patron of the Arts,” said UTB/TSC Fine Arts Department Chair Dr. Sue Zanne Urbis. “They have also been supporters of our award-winning opera company and we thank them for all their support.” 

The Arts Center, set to be completed in 19 months, will be a three-level, 49,000 square-foot structure that will feature an 800-seat Recital Hall with a fully equipped stage designed to accommodate orchestras, operas, dance and theater productions with as many as 150 people on stage simultaneously. 

Something Dr. Michael Quantz, a fine arts professor, has been waiting more than a quarter of a century for.  

“We can only imagine the many new opportunities for the campus community and the larger community,” he said. “When these doors open, you open new doorways for students. A place like this can provide students with the uncanny ability to reach into the audience and move them, and their playing will be brought to a new level of vitality.” 

The Arts Center is designed by Studio Red Architects of Houston, a firm that specializes in performance halls. The contracting has been awarded to Skanska USA, the project manager is Broaddus & Associates. Both companies are working on other campus construction projects. 

In The Arts Center, professors, students and the community will utilize the building’s five teaching studios situated throughout the center, a large rehearsal hall, small rehearsal hall, and the patron’s room/rehearsal hall.  The first-floor lobby gallery with views of the Fort Brown resaca will be a venue for student and guest art exhibits. 

“Not only will this spring forward students’ interest in performing and music, this will also push forward the vision of the professors, students and the great opportunities to come,” said  junior fine arts major Jesus Morales.

Alumni Leo Zamora, UTB/TSC’s first bachelor of music graduate and choir director at Oliviera Middle School, said the construction of the center is essential for the development of the community. 

“(The Arts Center) is vital in the growth of the soul of the community,” Zamora said. “UTB/TSC professors inspired me and changed my life tremendously. Never in my wildest dreams did I ever envision a $25 million fine arts facility would ever be built in my lifetime and my dream is to see my students and someday my own daughter performing on that stage.”