Oklahoma City University is gearing up for a top-to-bottom makeover of its aging Kirkpatrick Fine Arts Center, rolling out a $25 million renovation campaign that aims to turn the 1928 auditorium into a modern performance venue while keeping its historic character intact. The project will preserve the hall’s classic look while upgrading technical systems, backstage facilities and patron amenities, and university leaders expect the revamped space to reopen for the 2028–29 academic year.
Officials announced the campaign on the center’s front steps, revealing a $13 million lead gift from the Kirkpatrick Family Fund, the Kirkpatrick Foundation, the Christian Keesee Charitable Trust and the Kirkpatrick Partners Fund at the Oklahoma City Community Foundation, according to OCU. The plan includes a $2 million endowed maintenance fund to cover long-term upkeep, and the building will be rechristened the Kirkpatrick Performing Arts Center once work is complete. University officials said the $13 million lead gift will only partially cover the broader $25 million effort, leaving room for more donors to take a bow.
OCU President Kenneth Evans said the university has to elevate the Kirkpatrick to match the strength of its arts programs, while Christian Keesee, president of the Kirkpatrick Family Fund, pledged to “restore the architectural beauty” of the facility, as reported by News 9. The announcement drew campus leaders, donors and arts supporters to the auditorium’s steps for a ceremonial reveal, with organizers stressing that historic preservation will guide design choices even as the technical guts of the building get a 21st-century upgrade.
Design upgrades and design team
The overhaul will bring in a modern fly system and stage rigging, acoustic enhancements, upgraded dressing rooms and rehearsal spaces, plus improved accessibility and lobby amenities, according to OCU. Oklahoma architecture firms Guernsey and Hornbeek Architecture have been tapped to partner with international design firm Steinberg Hart on the plans. University officials say the team’s charge is to balance cutting-edge technical capabilities with careful historic preservation so the auditorium’s familiar character stays front and center.
Timeline and fundraising
Materials outlining the effort call for a fundraising and design-development phase through early 2027, with construction slated to begin in summer 2027 and roughly 16 months of work planned so the hall can reopen in the 2028–29 academic year, as reported by News 9. The $25 million campaign also includes the $2 million endowed maintenance fund intended to prevent future deferred upkeep, university officials said. Advancement staff and campaign chairs are now recruiting donors to close the remaining fundraising gap.
Why it matters to OKC
The Kirkpatrick family has a long history of backing arts and culture in central Oklahoma, and this lead gift is expected to further cement OCU’s role as a regional training ground for performers. The auditorium has helped launch the careers of alumni such as Kristin Chenoweth and Kelli O’Hara. Local companies including Lyric Theatre and Oklahoma Children's Theatre regularly use the hall, so university leaders say the upgrades should ripple across Oklahoma City’s arts calendar. The Kirkpatrick Family Fund’s website notes the family’s decades-long commitment to cultural institutions and philanthropy in the region, and the university is betting that history will help carry the campaign across the finish line.
