Rosewood Renovation and Reinvention

For over 37 years, the Rosewood Arts Center has offered hands on experiences in the visual and performing arts. Visitors participate annually in classes, gallery exhibitions, theater performances, studio visits, special events and festivals. No other art organization in southwest Ohio delivers the scope of high quality and diverse offerings for the breadth of population the Arts Center Serves. The renovation of Rosewood truly has re-invented the programming and customer experiences for all participants, youth through adult.

Rosewood Arts Center renovation was completed in December 2023. Through a public/private partnership between the City of Kettering and the Kettering Parks Foundation, the renovation included:

• Complete renovation of the Theater Interior Space, new audio and lights, 160 fixed seating, improved stage area and new flooring
• New and expanded Gallery exhibition space, improved lighting, museum quality storage and preparatory space for curating exhibition
• Dedicated youth studio with appropriate tables, chairs and equipment for age specific classes
• New dance studio with improved sound, flooring, barres and mirrors
• New glass and metals studios, including vented work stations, benches, tools and table kilns
• Printmaking studio with press, tables and preparatory spaces
• Expanded ceramics studio spaces, new venting system, specialized glazing area, additional ceramics wheels, improved storage and larger kiln room space
• Improved Painting and Drawing studio, controlled lighting, tables and specialized drawing and painting equipment including easels, works on paper and painting storage
• Improved flex classrooms with new tables, chairs and storage areas
• New Administration area with systems furniture, storage, conference room and breakroom
• New lobby entrance area with community gallery space with track lighting, welcome desk and seating area
• Exterior and interior wayfinding signage and new parking lot

Thank you to everyone who celebrated with us on December 2, 2023 at our Ribbon Cutting Ceremony and Holiday Arts Festival! We welcomed over a thousand people to enjoy the new spaces, listen to music by the Kettering Civic Band and Kettering Children's Choir, and meet many of our illustrious instructors and artists!

Project Overview

Beginning in September 2021, the City of Kettering launched a multi-year, phased renovation to update Rosewood Arts Center. As part of the City of Kettering’s Parks, Recreation and Cultural Arts (PRCA), Rosewood is a community destination dedicated to enriching the quality of life for the residents of Kettering and the greater Dayton area by providing creative experiences through a variety of art forms for people of all ages, abilities and backgrounds.

The renovation includes infrastructure improvements (mechanical, electrical and plumbing) and the creation of more efficient and customized learning environments for various artistic disciplines. Rosewood in located within a repurposed 1965 elementary school designed by Kettering architect Eugene Betz. Leased to the City from the Kettering City Schools, Rosewood Arts Center opened for a full year of programming in 1985.  Since then, Rosewood has provided exceptional arts programming including hundreds of educational programs and classes each year, as well as artist studio spaces, exhibitions, performances and special events.

The renovation will continue through 2023, and the building will remain open and continue to offer art education classes and gallery programming.  Through community and stakeholder feedback and surveys conducted over the past several years, the renovation will include not only upgrades to the building’s infrastructure but also to expanding educational space for core program areas including youth arts instruction, ceramics, painting and drawing, and specialized spaces for glass and metal working.

The Rosewood project is being managed by the City of Kettering's Public Service Department, working with LWC Incorporated (previously Lorenz Williams) as the project architect and Brumbaugh Construction, Inc.

Funding for this project is provided by the City of Kettering and the Cultural Facilities Grant Fund administered by the Ohio Facilities Construction Commission, with additional support provided by the Kettering Parks Foundation.