More than 10 years of arts planning at WCU were realized in October 2005 when Jay Leno, star of NBC’s “The Tonight Show,” stepped onstage to headline the grand opening gala of the Fine and Performing Arts Center.

A dream come true: The dream that inspired the facility had begun many years earlier when the center was listed as the university’s top capital improvement priority for 1995. “Few things work as beautifully as the arts to bring people together, raise spirits and elevate a community’s quality of life,” said Paul Lormand, founding director of the center’s performance facilities.

An award-winning designer: Designed by the Gund Partnership, an award-winning architectural firm from Cambridge, Mass., the 122,000-square-foot, $30 million facility features a 1,000-seat concert hall, an academic wing for teaching and learning, and nearly 10,000 feet of exhibit space dedicated to the Fine Art Museum.

Of the region and of the world: Both the center’s design and mission focus on bringing “the arts of the world to the region and the arts of the region to the world.” The center features numerous Cherokee- and mountain-inspired design elements while outreach programs have been developed for surrounding communities that have traditionally been underserved.

Today, the center is truly a premier arts destination for the Western North Carolina region with world-class performance series, permanent and rotating art exhibitions, and a wealth of educational events for students, faculty, staff, and the public to savor.