Ceremony marks start of Wolfe Center

BOWLING GREEN, O.—Spectators at Bowling Green State University’s April 25 groundbreaking ceremony for the Wolfe Center for the Arts found themselves surrounded by the arts.

Instead of a traditional shovel-and-hard-hat groundbreaking event, more than 400 people participated in a “groundbuilding” ceremony. They listened to the music of the 60-piece BGSU Wind Symphony, sang the alma mater along with a 75-member choral ensemble, walked among artistic body casts exhibited within the footprint of the 93,000-square-foot arts center and marveled at the unearthing of a ceramic likeness of the Snøhetta-designed building.

The ceremony demonstrated the spirit of collaboration and relationships that are part of the arts at BGSU, and which will be represented within the Wolfe Center. A diverse range of art studies will be united as part of a socially enterprising facility designed to encourage lively interaction among students and faculty.

The Wolfe Center, projected to cost $40 million, will be the first American project completed by Snøhetta, the architectural firm based in Oslo, Norway, and New York City.

Speaking during the April 25 festivities were Dr. Carol Cartwright, BGSU president; Dr. Simon Morgan-Russell, dean, College of Arts and Sciences; Frederic and Mary Wolfe, lead donors; Craig Dykers, principal architect, Snøhetta; John Harbal, chair, BGSU Board of Trustees; Dr. Sidney Ribeau, former BGSU president; Dr. Richard Kennell, dean, College of Musical Arts; Dr. Katerina Rüedi Ray, director, School of Art, and Dr. Ronald Shields, chair, Department of Theatre and Film.

For more information on the event and the Wolfe Center for the Arts, please visit http://www.bgsu.edu/offices/mc/media_room/page62866.html.

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(Posted April 30, 2009 )