Fine Arts Division

Named after Mother Benedicta Reip, the founder of the Benedictine women in the United States, the BAC holds academic classes for music, theater, visual arts, and dance. 

In addition to general classrooms and a fine arts computer lab, the building is also home to:

• The 1,000 seat Petters Auditorium
• The 300 seat Gorecki Family Theater
• The Colman Theater, a flexible 125-seat black box space
• The Darnall Amphitheater (lawn seating)
• The Helgeson Dance Studio
• A music library
• A recital hall
• An Instrument music Rehearsal Hall
• A small ensemble room

Students also have access to photography and pottery studios, make-up and dressing rooms, a costume shop, and space for scene construction.

More than 1,000 CSB/SJU students take classes and/or lessons in the Benedicta Arts Center each year.  Students may be involved in arts by performing in a play or opera, working as part of a technical crew, working in the box office, ushering or house managing, playwriting, or just sampling any of our fine arts classes which range from sculpture to dance.

Fine Arts Programming also presents a series of performances by artists of national and international reputation in all disciplines in the BAC.  Many of these performances are accompanied by residencies where artists work alongside our distinguished arts faculty providing hands-on experiences for students.

The BAC is home to the Art, Music and Theater Departments that make up the Fine Arts Division at CSB/SJU.

Contact Information

Robert Koopman, OSB, Professor/Division Head, Fine Arts

Willene Mangham, Assoc. Professor/Department Chair, Theater
Theater Deptment Web site

Edward Turley, Assoc. Professor/Department Chair, Music
Music Department Web site

Elaine Rutherford, Assoc. Professor/Deparatment Chair, Art
Art Department Web site