Three years in the making and just weeks from completion, the new Middle School Arts & World Languages Center marks the first phase in a multi-year makeover planned for Durham Academy’s Academy Road campus. The reimagination of the first campus created for Durham Academy, with facilities made for ages 4 and up, to a Middle School by design for ages 10 to teenager is a dream come true for teachers.

For the first time, Middle School arts — visual art, band, chorus, drama and movement — and world languages — Chinese, French, Latin and Spanish — will be housed together, with faculty and students teaching and learning in spaces designed just for them and taking both programs to a whole new level.

“One of the most important parts of teaching is setting up environments for success,” band teacher Andrew Lovett said. “The new building is going to have a lot of really good tools that I think will help the band program a lot.”

Video by Jesse Paddock
Drone Footage by Dave Chandler
 

“I think it’s just going to totally change the student experience by having a space that’s designed for them and the work that we do. It is so exciting to see that our school wants to support the arts by providing a space for our students,” theatre teacher Ellen Brown said.

Barring any delays, DA expects to receive a certificate of occupancy by March 5, and the additional instructional space will allow a phased return of all Middle School students to campus this spring. 

Learn more about the plans to reimagine DA’s Middle School