2009 McGraw Hill Construction’s Southwest Contractor – Award for ‘Best Cultural Project’

The Ocotillo Performing Arts Center includes a 200 seat theater with state-of-the-art audio/visual systems. Designed to accommodate a wide range of productions from community theater to electronic music and film, the building is located inside the historic shell of an old movie theater that had been converted into a cafeteria.

While the existing historic facade was preserved, the interior spaces were developed to accommodate the back-of-house theater functions and a substantial lobby for art exhibitions and community events. A partial fly-tower was designed to accommodate a future expansion.

The City of Artesia is a small, mostly rural community, and the construction of this project represented a significant commitment to the arts. The renovated facade and marquee were a central part of an overall effort to enliven Main Street.