The Randolph W. Bromery Center for the Arts at the

University of Massachusetts Amherst The University of Massachusetts Amherst (UMass Amherst, UMass) is a public research university in Amherst, Massachusetts and the sole public land-grant university in Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Founded in 1863 as an agricultural college, ...

(FAC) is an arts center located just north of downtown Amherst, Massachusetts and contains a concert hall and a contemporary art gallery. The building is a 646-foot-long bridge of studio art space, raised up 30 feet from the ground creating a monumental gateway for a campus. The Fine Arts Center serves as a cultural library and regional resource center for the citizens of the

Pioneer Valley The Pioneer Valley is the colloquial and promotional name for the portion of the Connecticut River Valley that is in Massachusetts in the United States. It is generally taken to comprise the three counties of Hampden, Hampshire, and Frankli ...

and the students and faculty from the University of Massachusetts. It also attracts scholars, faculty, students, and families interested in relocating to a community with this type of rich environment.

History

In the late 1960s, Kevin Roche and John Dinkeloo were asked to design first-class art, music, and theater spaces for the sons and daughters of working men and women of Massachusetts. The structure was constructed between 1972 and 1974 and opened in 1975. University of Massachusetts Amherst Fine Arts Center

University of Massachusetts Amherst Fine Arts Center

Description

The Fine Arts Center is a 646-foot-long and 66 foot-high, Brutalist, poured stereo metric concrete, partially bridge-like structure, which are reflected in the nearby pond. This venue is accessible according to the Americans with Disabilities Act.

Mission statement

The Fine Arts Center seeks to engage and inspire the campus and regional communities in the arts through a broad array of exemplary performances, exhibitions, and educational programs. Since its founding in 1975, the Fine Arts Center has been a central force in the cultural, social and academic life of the university, the Five College campuses, and the Pioneer Valley of Western Massachusetts. The Fine Arts Center's combination of educational, visual, and performing arts programs not only makes it unique, but also helps meet the diverse needs of scholars, faculty, students, alumni and the broader community.

Performance venues

Tillis Performance Hall

The 2000-seat performance hall within the Fine Arts building was the main venue on the campus before the Mullins Center was opened in 1993. The hall is still active with performances by a variety of musical genres and other acts from around the world. Of the 30,000 people who attended shows in 2012, 68 percent were from Hampshire County, 13 percent were from Franklin County and 6 percent came from Hampden County. The other 4,000 attendees came from southern

New Hampshire New Hampshire is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Massachusetts to the south, Vermont to the west, Maine and the Gulf of Maine to the east, and the Canadian province of Quebec to the nor ...

and

Vermont Vermont () is a state in the northeast New England region of the United States. Vermont is bordered by the states of Massachusetts to the south, New Hampshire to the east, and New York to the west, and the Canadian province of Quebec to ...

, the area surrounding Hartford, Connecticut, Worcester County and the

Berkshires The Berkshires () are a highland geologic region located in the western parts of Massachusetts and northwest Connecticut. The term "Berkshires" is normally used by locals in reference to the portion of the Vermont-based Green Mountains that ex ...

. Musical acts and shows are attended by a collection of college students, local residents and families. The performance space was renamed from the Concert Hall to the Tillis Performance Hall in October of 2021. This venue features: * Dance floor * Dressing rooms * Fly space *

Green room In show business, the green room is the space in a theatre or similar venue that functions as a waiting room and lounge for performers before, during, and after a performance or show when they are not engaged on stage. Green rooms typically have ...

* Loading dock * Movie screen/projection capabilities * Orchestra pit * Piano * Sound system *

WiFi Wi-Fi () is a family of wireless network protocols, based on the IEEE 802.11 family of standards, which are commonly used for local area networking of devices and Internet access, allowing nearby digital devices to exchange data by radio wa ...

Visual art museums and galleries

* University Museum of Contemporary Art

References

External links

Upcoming events at the FAC
{{Authority control University of Massachusetts Amherst buildings University and college buildings completed in 1975 Brutalist architecture in Massachusetts Music venues in Massachusetts Performing arts centers in Massachusetts 1975 establishments in Massachusetts