The long-dreamed-of Center for the Arts complex at New Mexico State University will begin to take shape with a celebration in September 2009 for the first phase of the facility.

A true blend of public and private funding is making this possible. In November 2008, voters approved the bond initiative to secure the first $19 million. In its 2009 session, the New Mexico Legislature allocated another $5.5 million from its capital outlay fund. Private gifts and pledges from a variety of sources bring the total raised close to $26 million.

“Gov. Richardson and our local legislative delegation have been critical in the success of our funding to date. Each of them is a special friend of New Mexico State and the students who will benefit from this new complex,” says Jill Grammer, director of development for the Center for the Arts. “Beyond that, it is the tireless work of our volunteer leadership advisory committee led by Ammu Devasthali that is generating so much enthusiasm. They are educating the community about the new arts complex as well as making gifts to fund several aspects of the project.”

Ammu Devasthali has dedicated many hours to raising funds for the project. She and her husband also have committed $500,000.

“It excites us to be part of getting this built for our community. There is an abundance of talent in southern New Mexico and we need a venue to showcase it,” Ammu says. “All of us have been influenced by the arts at some point. It is food for the soul and we need to feed that.”

The Devasthalis have lived and worked in Las Cruces for 22 years. Rama, a physician, is president of the Imaging Center of Las Cruces Radiology Associates. Ammu ’93 ’96, who has a master’s degree in printmaking and a Master of Fine Arts in Painting, both from NMSU, is an artist and has a local studio, Art Ventures.

“This community received us warmly and has given us the support to build our lives and businessses, amplifying our ability to give back,” Rama says. “This is not just for NMSU, but for all of southern New Mexico.”

The Dance and Theatre Arts Performance Hall will be located at the corner of University Avenue and Espina Street. In addition to the 500-seat auditorium there will be classrooms and rehearsal space, state-of-the-art sound and lighting and fly storage space. Construction on Phase I will begin in 2010.

The Center for the Arts will gather the scattered arts programs in one central location, encouraging more collaborative activity and providing the community easier accessibility to the many creative endeavors on campus.

The facility will dramatically change the look of University Avenue. Its development has been planned in collaboration with each involved department and the community. Phase II will be the Visual Arts Center and Phase III is the Grand Performance Hall with seating for up to 1,200. It will enable the university to host additional vocal, instrumental and touring company productions.

“Private sector contributions are critical to bringing a project of this scope to reality,” Grammer says. “Naming opportunities exist in all phases. All gifts of $1,000 or more will be recognized in the finished facility.”

For more information on ways to support the Center for the Arts, contact Grammer at jgrammer@nmsu.edu, (575) 646-3587 or (800) 342-6678. Gifts can also be made online at http://www.artscenter.nmsu.edu.