Butler University will renovate and expand Clowes Memorial Hall next year, the university announced Dec. 18.
The upgrades will be funded by $9 million from the Allen Whitehill Clowes Charitable Foundation. Built in 1963, Clowes Memorial Hall now has capacity for over 2,100 guests for concerts and shows.
The theater will be closed from June to October while the space is renovated. Plans include adding gender-neutral restrooms, creating open-air boxes inside the theater and upgrading the stage and loading docks.
Butler also will build a new venue adjacent to the hall called the Allen Whitehill Clowes Ballroom, scheduled to open in spring 2027. The new space will be able to accommodate over 1,200 people for concerts and will function as a reception area and event space.
The Clowes expansion will jump-start Butler’s plans to create a $100-million arts and culture district in Midtown Indianapolis. Butler also plans to add an outdoor plaza outside the theater eventually.
More broadly, the university is trying to engage with the surrounding neighborhoods through its Butler Gateway Project.
Earlier this year, Butler received $22.5 million from the Lilly Endowment to build a wellness and athletic center for the MLK Center and create a transit hub on campus. In August, the university announced plans to turn a vacant residence hall into a boutique Hilton hotel, which is expected to open by 2027.
Claire Rafford covers higher education for Mirror Indy in partnership with Open Campus. Contact Claire at claire.rafford@mirrorindy.org or on Instagram/X/Bluesky @clairerafford.
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