Last Friday, NDDC Board President Keith Covey and I met with Carleton College Director of the Arts Steve Richardson.  We heard some exciting news.

The Carleton College Board of Trustees has voted to move forward with the Arts Union project. Staff has been directed to complete the construction drawings, the building is being cleared out this week, asbestos abatement is scheduled for next week, project construction will begin this summer, and the Arts Union will open in the Fall of 2011.

The $42 million investment in Northfield will be the new home for the Cinema, Dance, Media, and Theater Departments as well as the new Carleton Art Gallery.  Richardson shared building program details including a 250-seat cinema, a 100-seat dance studio, a 250-seat theater, media studies classrooms, a large meeting room in the old school library, and an art museum next to the park.

Carleton views the Arts Union as a cultural connection between the college and the community.  Richardson said that discussion on potential partnerships in programming have already begun.