Stevens Center Could Get Multi-Million Dollar Makeover If State Funding Gets Approved

A major performance venue in Forsyth County could get a makeover with the help of state funding. Proposed legislation moving through the General Assembly would earmark millions of dollars to update the Stevens Center.

The University of North Carolina School of the Arts owns the Stevens Center in downtown Winston-Salem. The former 1929 movie theater serves as the school's primary performance space. The facility is in need of some big improvements. The proposed state budget legislation would allocate $42.2 million in fiscal year 2019-20 for the renovation project.

Jim DeCristo, Vice Chancellor for Economic Development and Chief of Staff with UNCSA, says some of the upgrades would include an enlarged lobby space, new seating and restrooms.

“This is our largest classroom and our biggest laboratory, so we want to improve all of those aspects of it so that it becomes a better house not only for our students and their student productions, but for the resident companies that utilize it,” says DeCristo.

The Winston-Salem Symphony, the Piedmont Opera and National Black Theatre Festival are among the organizations that use the venue.

DeCristo says UNCSA will also pursue additional private fundraising to add more technology throughout the Stevens Center.

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