The Delbridge Family Center for the Arts

Creativity Blooms in the Delbridge Family Center for the arts

In October, 2016, Walnut Hill unveiled the Delbridge Family Center for the Arts, a beautiful new building purposefully designed to showcase the many talents of our Walnuts.

Recognizing the need for additional arts venues, the Board of Trustees authorized School leadership to break ground in May 2015 on the first intentionally designed multi-purpose arts building in the history of Walnut Hill. Named in honor of our lead donors, the Delbridge Family Center for the Arts is made possible by a generous gift from longtime Trustee Sandra Delbridge and her husband, Kevin, parents of theater major Jessica Delbridge De Kler ’00 and visual art major Alyce Delbridge ’05.

From September to June, the Delbridge Family Center for the Arts now serves as a hub for our community, playing host to myriad performances, activities, and events. Over the course of the school year, the Mollie T. & John Byrnes Performance Studio, our black box performance space, plays host to Theater productions such as the North American premiere of Pronoun, Henrik Ibsen’s seminal play, A Doll’s House, and the lively musical, Ivy & Bean; the Dance Department’s yearly New Works choreography showcase; and concerts by our chamber music groups and jazz ensemble. In addition, our Writing, Film & Media Arts Department utilizes the space for Black on White, an evening of original readings and film screenings by our students. In the spring, The Woodside Gallery is transformed into a proper exhibition space and new home for our Senior Visual Art Shows. Community events such as Class Night and the Reunion Weekend’s After Hours tribute performances take full advantage of the arts center, and attendees spill out onto the beautifully lit courtyard. Without a doubt, the investment in this new building is yielding major dividends for our Walnuts, and we thank the Delbridge family and all of you who made it possible.