Named in honor of former SHSU President Dr. James Gaertner and his wife Nancy, this landmark facility unites performance, learning, and collaboration across the College of Arts and Media. Home to the CAM Dean’s Office and shared spaces for Music, Dance, and Theatre & Musical Theatre, it provides professional environments where students refine their craft.
Creative Spaces & Facilities
Explore boldly at SHSU. The College of Arts and Media connects talent to opportunity through immersive learning in visual, performing, and media disciplines.
James And Nancy Gaertner Performing Arts Center
Dana G. Hoyt Fine Arts Building
Named after SHSU’s first female president, Dr. Dana G. Hoyt, this complex houses the Department of Art. Students have access to studios for animation, design, painting, printmaking, and sculpture, alongside the University Art Gallery.
University Theatre Center
As the home of SHSU’s Theatre and Musical Theatre programs, the UTC features two performance venues, the Erica Starr Theatre and the Showcase Theatre, alongside a costume shop, scene shop, and design classrooms.
School of Music Building
Designed for focused learning and performance, the School of Music Building includes rehearsal halls, practice studios, smart classrooms, and faculty studios. Here students collaborate, refine their craft, and prepare for careers in music.
Dan Rather Communications Building
Named after SHSU alumnus and legendary journalist Dan Rather, this building is the home of the Department of Mass Communication. Facilities include TV studios, digital editing labs, and the student-run radio station KSHU 90.5 FM, along with The Houstonian student newspaper and broadcast newsroom.
Natural Science & Art Research Center
This interdisciplinary facility supports research and collaboration at the intersection of science and the arts, providing space for faculty and student projects, exhibitions, and community engagement.
