Skip to main content
Add as a preferred source on Google

Mississippi College to Convert Former Junior High into Arts Complex

  • By Matt Jones
  • 12/07/21

Mississippi College in Clinton, Miss., has announced that it will convert a former junior high school facility into a fine arts building. The college acquired the Clinton Junior High School building in 2010. The complex will be named in honor of Dr. Samuel M. Gore, a former MC Art Department faculty member, to become the Gore Arts Complex.

The Gore Arts Complex will feature amenities like studio space for drawing, painting, sculpture, papermaking, pastels and woodworking; an outdoor kiln in a covered courtyard; an auditorium; and more. Some features from the junior high like cubbyholes, coat racks, and terrazzo and wood floors will be kept in honor of the building’s history.

“It’s so fitting that this facility, where new generations of artists will learn, be named in memory of Dr. Samuel Gore,” said Dr. Blake Thompson, president of Mississippi College. “Dr. Gore lived to share the story of Christ and tell that story through art. There is no better example for future artists to follow. Dr. Gore transformed lives through his art, and his teaching—and MC—will continue that legacy in this building that bears his name.”

The project is being funded partially through a $1-million gift from a charitable organization. The college is partnering with CDFL and Alliant Construction for the renovation and design process. Construction began shortly after Thanksgiving, and the project is expected to be complete by the beginning of the fall 2022 semester.

“The potential of this building is remarkable, because it will have a multidisciplinary effect,” said Dr. Randolph B. Miley, professor and chair of art at MC. “With the new auditorium, we’ll have the opportunity to do outreach to the community with art. Once we get things running, I think the ideas are just going to start generating quickly. And it will attract more artists here to study.”

About the Author

Matt Jones is senior editor of Spaces4Learning. He can be reached at [email protected].

Featured

  • Georgia State University Opens New Research Tower

    Georgia State University in Atlanta, Ga., recently held a ribbon-cutting ceremony for a new, nine-story, 155,000-square-foot Research Tower, according to university news. Amenities include academic classrooms, a large lecture space, teaching labs, faculty research space, and the uppermost floors reserved for future expansion.

  • Lawrence Group Announces Three New Hires

    Integrated planning and design firm Lawrence Group, based in St. Louis, Mo., recently welcomed three new staff members, according to a news release.

  • St. Lucie County, Fla., Breaks Ground on New K–8 School

    St. Lucie Public Schools in St. Lucie County, Fla., recently held a groundbreaking ceremony for a new K–8 school, according to a news release. The district partnered with Spiezle Architectural Group, Inc., for the design of the upcoming Ft. Pierce K–8 School, which comprises six buildings covering 215,000 square feet.

  • Wenger Names New Vice President of Sales for Performing Arts, Controls

    Wenger Corporation, which provides products and solutions for music and theater education, performing arts and athletic storage, recently announced the hiring of a new Vice President of Sales for Performing Arts and Controls.