Support Us

Reflecting the centuries-old Benedictine tradition of fostering the arts, the College of Saint Benedict and Saint John's University have been the premiere educational and cultural resource serving Central Minnesota.

The Benedicta Arts Center of the College of Saint Benedict annually hosts 200 public events including the college-sponsored Fine Arts Series, including the Minnesota Orchestra; plays, concerts, speakers’ series and other college-produced offerings. Comprised of 203,000 square feet of academic arts spaces and has long been considered one of the finest performance venues in the upper Midwest. In 2006, CSB completed an $8.9 million expansion and renovation of the Bendicta Arts Center.

The BAC is now comprised of 203,000 square feet of creative space including:

• Renovated 1,078-seat Petters Auditorium
• Renovated 300-seat Gorecki Family Theater
• New Colman Theater (a flexible 125-seat black box theater)
• New Darnall Amphitheater (lawn seating for 200 plus people)
• New Helgeson Dance Studio 
• Instrumental music rehearsal hall
• Chamber ensemble room
• New box office and administrative offices for Fine Arts Programming

The Stephen B. Humphrey Theater at Saint John's University annually hosts 200 public events including: the college-sponsored Fine Arts Series; Cantus, plays, concerts, speakers’ series and other regionally-produced offerings. Also at Saint John's University is the Saint John's Art Center which annually features artists of regional and national reputation.

In 1985 a 2.5 million dollar renovation was completed in which organ and choral practice rooms were complete, the main theater was reshaped and remodeled and finally, the basement was completely renovated.

The Auditorium-Music Hall was dedicated to Stephen Benedict Humphrey.

Why We Need You

Without the support and contributions of people like you Fine Arts Programming would not be what it is today - fostering an artistic environment of creativity that provides transformational experiences connecting our community to the world around us. In reality, admission covers only 50% of the operating budget. Like all nonprofit institutions, Fine Arts Programming depends on you and other generous entities to help make up that crucial difference.

Name-A-Seat - Name one of the new seats in the Petters Auditorium, Gorecki or Colman Theaters.