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Martin Arts seeks $30M arts campus at historic Stuart High; planning grants in place
Summary
Martin Arts presented a vision and schematic plans to convert the historic Stuart High School and adjacent mid‑century buildings into an arts campus with studios, makerspace, performance venue and event rentals; project estimated at about $30 million and fundraising and government grants are underway.
Nancy Turrell, executive director of Martin Arts, presented the organization’s vision on May 6 to convert the historic Stuart High School property near downtown Stuart into a community arts campus with artist studios, a makerspace and a 295-seat auditorium.
Turrell said Martin Arts has completed schematic design drawings and a business plan and has raised more than $500,000 toward planning. The project has secured a second $50,000 planning grant from the Florida Division of Historic Resources, she said, and the organization has applied for a National Endowment for the Arts Our Town grant. “Historic schools across the country have been repurposed for similar uses,” Turrell said. “The site of the historic Stuart High School is a perfect location.”
The project scope described by Turrell includes renovating the main historic building to host an auditorium, event space and classrooms; adding a stage tower with fly space; converting two mid‑century buildings into artist studios and a makerspace with pottery wheels and light metalworking equipment; and operating a cafe and revenue-producing event rentals. Turrell said the overall project estimate is about $30,000,000, with roughly two‑thirds of that amount for construction and the balance for furniture, acoustics, fixtures and fundraising costs.
Turrell said the campus would support district arts education by creating opportunities for students to meet and work with resident artists, host school recitals and provide flexible spaces for juried shows and community events. Martin Arts said it expects artists and nonprofits to pay some fees and also plans scholarships and an endowment for repairs and maintenance.
Board members asked for examples of programming the auditorium would host; Turrell said the venue could accommodate foreign-film screenings, plays, musical recitals and ticketed community events, and that the stage tower would allow productions not currently possible in other local venues.
Why it matters: The proposal seeks to repurpose an existing, century‑old school building into a district‑connected cultural asset that could host arts education and generate earned revenue, potentially affecting the school district’s facilities and community partnerships.
What’s next: Turrell said Martin Arts will continue schematic design and fundraising and will work with the district on any lease terms required to proceed. The organization reported follow-up planning and community outreach and requested continued board support for the project.
