Art

Over the course of nearly a century, the physical landscape of the arts at Old Dominion University has changed dramatically. What began with borrowed classrooms, converted spaces, and off-campus storefront galleries has grown into a connected network of studios, theaters, galleries, museums, libraries, and performance venues.

These spaces represent more than architectural growth. Each facility reflects a moment when the university recognized a need, responded to a creative opportunity, and expanded the possibilities available to students, faculty, and the surrounding community.

Together, these venues form the Arts District at Old Dominion, a place where artistic practice, scholarship, performance, and public engagement intersect.

Spaces for Performance and Collaboration

The performing arts have long been an essential part of the university's creative identity.

The University Theatre, located on 47th Street, has served generations of students and audiences as a traditional proscenium stage for theatrical productions and musical performances. For decades, it provided a central venue where students could develop their skills in performance, design, and technical theatre.

The opening of the Diehn Fine & Performing Arts Center in 1991 marked a significant expansion of the university's performing arts facilities. Renamed in 1993 in honor of F. Ludwig Diehn, the center established a dedicated home for music education and performance, including the Diehn Composers Room and Chandler Recital Hall. The facility strengthened the university's ability to support composers, performers, ensembles, and audiences.

In 2014, the opening of the Goode Theatre introduced a flexible black-box performance space designed for contemporary theatre, film screenings, experimental productions, and technical theatre training. Its adaptable design reflects changing approaches to performance and provides students with opportunities to explore new forms of creative expression.

Monarch Way

The development of Monarch Way as the center of the university's visual arts community represents decades of planning and investment.

The Gordon Art Galleries opened in 2007, providing a permanent exhibition home for contemporary art and the Gordon Gift collection of self-taught and folk art. The Barry Arts Building and Hixon Art Studio Building followed in 2015, creating an integrated environment for studio practice, teaching, research, and student exhibitions. The Barry Art Museum, which opened in 2018, further expanded the university's cultural presence through its nationally recognized collections and public programming.

Together, these facilities transformed the way art is created and experienced at Old Dominion. Students can move between studios, galleries, libraries, museums, and classrooms within a shared creative environment. Faculty can connect teaching and research with professional-level resources. Visitors can encounter exhibitions, performances, and collections that extend the university's reach into the Hampton Roads community.

The Arts District represents the culmination of decades of effort, beginning with the small department Charles Sibley established in 1955 and continuing through generations of faculty, students, administrators, donors, and community partners who believed in the importance of the arts.

The Next Chapter: Creativity, Technology, and Innovation

The history of the arts at Old Dominion has always been shaped by adaptation. As the university enters its next era, that tradition continues through new approaches to collaboration and interdisciplinary learning.

Scheduled to open in 2027 between Monarch Hall and Batten Arts and Letters, the Engineering and Arts Building represents the next stage in the university's evolving creative landscape. The facility will bring together artists, designers, engineers, and innovators through shared classrooms, design studios, maker spaces, and exhibition areas.

The building reflects a growing recognition that creativity and innovation are not separate pursuits. Artistic thinking, design, technology, and scientific inquiry increasingly intersect in solving complex challenges and imagining new possibilities.