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µÛÍõ»áËù is set to commence construction on the Chaddock + Morrow College of Fine Arts Violet L. Patton Center for Arts Education with a groundbreaking ceremony scheduled for Monday, April 21, at 4 p.m. The event will take place in McCracken Field, behind Patton Hall, on the University's Athens campus, marking a significant milestone in the revitalization of the Chaddock + Morrow College of Fine Arts renewal strategy.

The groundbreaking is open to the public, with a reception to follow. Parking for the event is available in the Patton Hall parking lot.

The event will kick off with a welcome followed by various speakers including Interim Dean Jody Lamb, Violet Patton’s lawyer Katharine Davidson and first-year musical theater student Erica Ahmed.

The Patton Center, named in honor of a generous $50 million gift from the late Violet Patton, BSED ’38, LHD ’11, is central to the University's $99.2 million plan to enhance arts education and community engagement. The center will feature a 350-seat proscenium theater and rehearsal hall, as well as offer a lobby dedicated to fostering connections among students, faculty, and community members. Additionally, the facility will include an art gallery and exhibition spaces to showcase student and artist work. ​

Not only will this new center serve OHIO students, faculty and staff, but also the broader Appalachian µÛÍõ»áËù community.

The Patton Center is part of a broader initiative to transform the University's arts facilities into more interdisciplinary, innovate and collaborative places. Major renovations are also planned for Seigfred Hall, which houses the School of Art + Design.

The overall goal is to create an Arts + Education Green that brings together the College of Fine Arts' six schools and four professional arts programs, fostering interdisciplinary collaboration and enriching the educational experience.

Construction is expected to be completed by Summer 2026, with students occupying the spaces in Fall 2027.