Pulaski Technical College to Unveil New $30M Facility

Pulaski Technical College Fine & Performing Arts/Humanities Building

Pulaski Technical College will celebrate the completion of its new $30 million Center for Humanities and the Arts with a public grand opening celebration at 2 p.m. Tuesday at its main campus. 

The event, at 3000 West Scenic Drive in North Little Rock, includes a fine arts exhibit, live entertainment, refreshments prepared by culinary students and tours of the facility.

“We are thrilled that we have this beautiful, state-of-the-art facility where our students can learn and collaborate,” said Margaret Ellibee, college president. “It will also be a tremendous resource for our community. We hope to be a regional gathering place for arts-related activities.”

The Division of Humanities and Fine Arts is the college’s largest academic division. Most students who complete an associate of arts or associate of science degree will take courses in the new, 90,000-SF center.

The new center consolidates the division’s offerings and a 500-seat performing arts theater, costume shop, a performance/dance studio and music rooms, and a 1,250-SF art gallery.

Construction was completed over the summer, and students began attending classes in the new space on Jan 19. 

Jackson Brown Palculict was the lead architect, and CDI Contractors of Little Rock was the lead construction company. Perkins + Will of Dallas, a specialist in theater design, provided consulting assistance.

The Windgate Charitable Foundation awarded the Pulaski Technical College Foundation a $1.5 million grant to furnish and equip the center and to establish an endowment for continued operations. The grant is the largest private cash donation in the college’s history.

Several other events also are taking place this week to coincide with the center’s grand opening:

• Feb. 3 – Windgate Gallery Opening Reception for “Merging Form and Surface: Robyn Horn and Sandra Sell,” 5:30-7:30 p.m.
• Feb. 4 – Big Rock on the Map reading by Pulitzer Prize-winning author Douglas Blackmon, 6 p.m.
• Feb. 5 – Grammy Award-winning soul singer Mavis Staples concert, 8 p.m.