Services

Capital Planning and Construction

Current Projects

Western Oregon University Arts and Community Revitalization Initiative

Western Oregon University (WOU) requests $4,275,000 in federal funding to advance the Western Oregon University Arts and Community Revitalization Initiative through the comprehensive renovation of Rice Auditorium. This project will transform one of the only large-scale performance venues in Polk County into a modern, fully accessible, and safety-compliant regional arts and cultural hub.

Rice Auditorium interior Leonard W. Rice Auditorium
Western Oregon University, Monmouth, Oregon

Rice Auditorium serves not only WOU’s academic programs, but also the City of Monmouth, the City of Independence, and the broader Polk County community. The proposed renovation will address critical deficiencies in Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) accessibility and Fire Life Safety systems while modernizing stage infrastructure, audience configuration, and instructional production spaces.

Through this initiative, WOU will strengthen community partnerships, expand cultural programming capacity, and enhance regional economic vitality. The upgraded facility will support workforce development in performing arts, technical theatre, music production, and arts education—providing students with professional-grade training environments that translate directly into career readiness.

By revitalizing this shared civic asset, the project positions Western Oregon University as a driver of arts-based economic activity, community engagement, and long-term regional competitiveness in rural Oregon.

CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN

View the Proposal

SOCIAL & ECONOMIC IMPACT

Review the Study

LOCAL & STATE SUPPORT

Read Letters

CONTACT US

Facilities Services

503-838-8239 | or e-mail: facilitieshelp@wou.edu | Location: Physical Plant

Western Oregon University’s Land Acknowledgement
Western Oregon University in Monmouth, OR is located within the traditional homelands of the Luckiamute Band of Kalapuya. Following the Willamette Valley Treaty of 1855 (Kalapuya etc. Treaty), Kalapuya people were forcibly removed to reservations in Western Oregon. Today, living descendants of these people are a part of the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde Community of Oregon and the Confederated Tribes of the Siletz Indians.

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