Fine Arts and Communications Renovation Program

September 2026 Status: Renovations to the first, second, and third floors and the elevator upgrade are complete. The Ira Aldridge Theatre is in use. Basement renovation and remaining building-systems work continue.

Renewing a Home for Black Creative Excellence

Howard brought Art, Music, and Drama together as the College of Fine Arts in 1960, and the programs moved into the newly built Lulu Vere Childers Hall. Opened in 1961, Childers Hall anchors the north side of The Yard and carries the name of the acclaimed music educator who led Howard's musical program for 35 years.

Beside it, the 300-seat Ira Aldridge Theater honors the pioneering 19th-century Black Shakespearean actor who built an internationally celebrated career on European stages. Designed by Hilyard Robinson and Paul R. Williams, the theater has served generations of Howard performers, designers, directors, and audiences.

From Completed Floors to the Next Phase

The renewal is already visible across the complex. Renovated first-, second-, and third-floor spaces have strengthened classrooms, studios, offices, and creative environments, and the elevator upgrade is complete. The Ira Aldridge Theatre is hosting events following completion of its audiovisual work in September 2026.

Basement interior renovation is targeted for completion in December 2026. Full occupancy is planned for Spring 2027. Remaining electrical infrastructure work is being coordinated separately and may continue into summer 2027.

Across these phases, the goal is consistent: support artistic training and production in spaces worthy of Howard's creative legacy, while preserving the identity of facilities that have long stood at the center of Black performance, music, and visual culture.

Schedule information reflects current targets as of September 2026 and may change as work progresses.