FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WOWO) – A new documentary exploring the history of the Arts United Center in Fort Wayne will debut next month on PBS.
The Arts United Center is the world’s only Louis I. Kahn-designed performing arts center. The documentary is titled A Home for the Arts.
PBS Fort Wayne’s main channel, 39.1, will air the documentary for the first time on Jan. 4 at 8 p.m.
Part of a news release from PBS highlighting the film is below.
The documentary, A Home for the Arts, will explore the conception of downtown Fort Wayne’s cultural district beginning in the 1950s, which includes the hiring of world-renowned architect Louis I. Kahn; the innovation for a campus of the arts and the Arts United Center’s identity as a true community venue. Started in January 2023, this documentary was produced by PBS Fort Wayne Producer/Director Jonathon Nuthals.
During the 1950s, the city of Fort Wayne recognized the importance of the arts to a community, and together, with the newly founded Fort Wayne Fine Arts Foundation, now Arts United, sought to redevelop a struggling section of its downtown into a center for arts and culture. Bestowing great significance to this project, community leaders hired Kahn to design the center. Arts United celebrated the 50th anniversary of the Arts United Center in October 2023, while preparing to move forward with the process of modernizing and expanding the building beginning summer 2024.
“As we look back at the rich history of the Arts United Center, we amplify the importance of Arts United’s plans to preserve this iconic architectural treasure while expanding and modernizing this community theatre to today’s standards of fully functional and accessible to all patrons and participants,” said Dan Ross, president of Arts United.
In addition to its premiere airing on PBS Fort Wayne, this documentary will have an encore airing on Sunday, January 7 at 2:00pm on PBS Fort Wayne 39.1 and will also be available for streaming at pbs.org and by using the PBS app as well as PBS Fort Wayne app.
