19-05-2025
What is the multimillion-dollar Christoval Performing Arts Center project?
SAN ANGELO, Texas (Concho Valley Homepage) — In the community of Christoval, Texas, a years-long effort to raise funds privately for the construction of a new, multimillion-dollar performing arts center is still underway. Here's what you need to know about the project — and how you could help make the facility a reality.
The initiative seeks to raise funds for the construction and opening of the Christoval Performing Arts Center, a building with an estimated $15 million cost that would house the future of Christoval ISD's creative arts programs. CTX PAC 6, also known as The Stage By The River, is the organization behind the project.
The center would span approximately 60,000- to 75,000 square feet and include several amenities, including a 900-seat auditorium, a University Interscholastic League-approved stage, a large multipurpose area that could be used to host events, rooms for several of Christoval ISD's creative arts classes and storage for the district's one-act play program. Once ready for use, the building would be turned over to the school district.
The facility would also generate revenue for the district, with CTX PAC 6 estimating that thousands of dollars could be drawn in daily while the center is being used to house OAP competitions. The organization said these competitions aren't limited to those involving Christoval ISD's program, as other school districts across Texas could use the facility for UIL acting contests.
'If there's $10 for one person to be there in a seat, and we have a 900-seat facility, one day of competition could make $9,000 for the school,' Theresa Cortez, communications coordinator for CTX PAC 6, said.
Chief among the group's reasons for championing the fundraising effort is a lack of space at the Christoval ISD's sole campus for the OAP, band and other creative arts programs. Cortez said this space issue also extends to other large-scale events held at the campus, such as graduations and awards assemblies.
'Right now, we are struggling with facilities so much that Christoval ISD rents space in San Angelo,' Cortez said.
Jack Campbell, project manager for CTX PAC 6, stated that the program's existing accommodations are not up to standard for UIL competitions, which can hinder actors when they travel to perform on UIL-compliant stages — something that has been shown to be likely to occur, as Christoval ISD's OAP program has competed at the state level on multiple occasions throughout the years, including during the 2024-2025 school semester.
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'Our OAP has been to state 10 times,' Campbell said. 'We have won state three times, and we've had three separate times when we've had the Samuel French Award, which is the highest acting award you can get … through UIL.'
Campbell said that the school district's band and art programs also suffer from similar issues and could stand to benefit from a new building.
Despite this observed need for an improved facility, community members expressed concerns that calling a bond election to fund the project would ultimately fail to produce results in a timely manner.
'It took us 25 years to pass a bond to do a middle school, and we'd been needing that for years and years,' Campbell said.
This led to the founding of the CTX PAC 6 in May 2023 to spearhead efforts to privately raise funds for the new theater.
'It's not going to happen through a bond,' Campbell said. 'You saw how many years it took it here and for us to get this done. For this to happen, it has to come through the private donations — the people in the Christoval area and the San Angelo area.'
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Christoval ISD isn't a stranger to privately funded facilities. In 2021, a new gymnasium was opened after an anonymous donor gave $3 million to the school district for its construction. Campbell said the district's baseball fields were also brought about through private donations.
'There was a need, so the people came to them through private donations and built these,' Campbell said.
As of the time of publication, CTX PAC 6 has raised approximately $500,000 toward the construction of the Christoval Performing Arts Center through the donations and grants it has received since its founding roughly two years ago. However, the group remains hopeful thanks to opportunities that could be opened up should an upcoming fundraising milestone be reached.
CTX PAC 6 members stated that multiple donors have expressed interest in the project should $1 million — the amount of money needed to complete phase one of the project — be successfully raised. The organization believes that larger donations and grants may be forthcoming if this goal can be met.
'When they see that yes, we do have a community behind us, there's a lot of growth in our current, starting-out-of-the-gate fundraising that really opens up the ability to apply for many of these grants that say they expect $1 million or $2 million in the bank before your application comes in,' Cortez said.
Group members said that phase two, which encompasses the bulk of the construction for the performing arts center, could be further funded by these more sizeable donations, potentially snowballing fundraising efforts as the amount of money gathered shows prospective donors and grant-makers that the community is interested.
'There are people out there that can write a check for the whole thing, we know that,' Campbell said. 'What we need to do is make sure this project feels significant enough to them that they will invest.'
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According to The Stage By The River website, the project currently has a projected lifespan of six years. Having begun in 2023 and with public fundraising opening in 2024, construction is predicted to start in 2027. Should events go as planned, the Christoval Performing Arts Center will be ready for use by 2028.
Construction can't begin without the proper funds, though, and CTX PAC 6 still has thousands of dollars to go before reaching the $1 million mark. Knowing this, the organization encourages Christoval and San Angelo residents to consider donating to help bring the facility to life.
'We are literally investing in generations to come, we're investing in our kids,' Campbell said. 'Whether you live in San Angelo or live in Christoval or live in the area, you're saying those students are important enough that we can make this happen.'
Those who wish to donate may do so through a donation portal found on The Stage By The River website. For more information and updates as the project progresses, visit the group's website and Facebook page.
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