Arts United Center

Historic renovation and expansion

$12M NMTC Transaction

Rendered image of the exterior of the Arts United Center
CLOSED
Q1 2025
LOCATION
Fort Wayne, IN
SQUARE FOOTAGE
75,000
TOTAL PROJECT COST
$40M
INVESTOR
U.S. Bancorp Community Development Corporation
CDE
Fort Wayne New Markets Revitalization Fund, LLC
CENSUS TRACT
18003001300

Arts United Center hosts youth dance competitions and recitals; community events and lectures; weddings and corporate events; and municipal inaugurations and civic events.

The outdoor plaza is used for the Downtown Improvement District’s Lunch on the Square, Taste of the Arts, Fort Wayne Museum of Art’s Chalk Walk, Three Rivers Festival, Fort4Fitness’s Spring Cycle, local performances, and more – many of which are free to attend. 

Events at Arts United

With the $12 million NMTC financing, Arts United Center will increase opportunity to provide equitable access to performance and newly accessible, flexible, multi-use classroom, workshop, and rehearsal studio spaces for the community.

This development has been supported by the following community planning initiatives:

  • Allen County Together Plan (2021)
  • Northeast Indiana READI Proposal (2021)
  • Vision to Vibrant (2020)
  • Public Realm Action Plan (2018)
  • Downtown Blueprint (2016 Update)
  • Road to One Million (2015)
  • Platform for Cultural Advancement (2015)
  • Plan-It Allen! (2006)

Mission Driven: Arts United  mobilizes resources to develop, coordinate, and support arts and culture, enhancing the quality of life and the economic vitality of Northeast Indiana.

Vision: Arts and culture are present every day, everywhere, for everyone in Northeast Indiana.

Values: 1) Excellence and innovation, 2) Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, Access (IDEA), 3) Good stewardship of community assets, 4) Alignment with priorities for economic and community development.

Arts United Center is committed to serving the full community.  The Arts Campus venues – Arts United Center and Parkview Physicians’ Group ArtsLab – are community venues. To ensure these venues are accessible to everyone, especially underserved members of our community, Arts United will initiate the Community Venue Grant Program (CVGP).  CVGP will provide Arts Campus spaces at free or reduced prices for programs that serve:

  • 50% or more participation by low-income people
  • 50% or more participation by people with disabilities
  • 50% or more participation by racial minorities

Allen Co. Racial and Socioeconomic Demographics

  • Allen County, Indiana has 388,600 people. 26% are children, 11% are persons in poverty, and 20% are people of color.
  • The three primary residents of the Arts United Center (Fort Wayne Civic Theatre, Fort Wayne Ballet, and Fort Wayne Youtheatre) reported to Arts United that they served a total of 130,200 people in 2019. 70.8% were children, 35.2% were low-income, and 22% were people of color.
  • Several licensees serve 50% or more minority youth.
  • The arts and culture organizations that have offices in the seven facilities of the Arts Campus reported to Arts United that they served a total of 453,300 people in 2019 (pre-pandemic). 49% were children, 38% were low-income, and 31% were people of color.