Fundraising & Campaigns
The Bass Foundation adds $10 million to finish UT Dallas's concert hall, now due in 2027
The new gift names the 680-seat hall and follows the foundation's $40 million in 2023. The building has grown, and its opening has slipped about two years.
By The Editors · The Game of Giving
The Harry W. Bass Jr. Foundation has committed an additional $10 million to finish the music and performance building at the University of Texas at Dallas, the university announced on October 22. Its 680-seat concert hall will be named the Harry W. Bass Jr. Foundation Concert Hall.
The Bass Foundation is a nonprofit that funds education, arts, science, civic and human services work. The building is Phase II of the Edith and Peter O'Donnell Jr. Athenaeum, a 12-acre arts district on the Richardson campus.
What does the $10 million pay for?
It pays to complete construction of Phase II, according to the university. The building covers nearly 67,000 square feet. Besides the hall, it will have two large rehearsal rooms, individual practice rooms, a percussion studio, classrooms, a recording studio and student study space. The hall is vineyard-style, with audience seating around the stage.
The university expects to open the building in spring 2027 and to host more than 60 music events and more than 8,000 community members a year. It did not disclose the building's total cost.
How has the project changed since 2023?
The building is bigger and later than first described. The comparison below is our own, from Community Impact's 2023 report on the foundation's first gift and the university's 2026 announcement and project page.
| May 2023 plan | October 2026 | |
|---|---|---|
| Bass Foundation gift | $40 million (also named the school) | $10 million more (names the hall) |
| Building size | 53,000 square feet | Nearly 67,000 square feet |
| Concert hall seats | 600 | 680 (684 on the school's project page) |
| Expected opening | About a year after Phase I, which opened in 2024 | Spring 2027 |
By our arithmetic, the foundation's two gifts total $50 million. The 2023 gift renamed the school the Harry W. Bass Jr. School of Arts, Humanities, and Technology and also funded scholarships, fellowships, study abroad and internships, Community Impact reported, so not all of it went to the building.
What did the donor and the school say?
"We envisioned so much that can come from this project, not just for UT Dallas, but for Richardson," said Michael Calhoun, a trustee of the foundation, in the announcement. Nils Roemer, dean of the Bass School, said, "Our neighbors may not need to go downtown; they can experience the best of arts and culture right here on campus."
What other campaigns can learn
In our view, a second gift to finish a building is a common pattern when construction runs longer or grows larger than planned, and a fresh naming right can help secure it. The Athenaeum already carries the O'Donnell name; the O'Donnell Foundation has since given its remaining assets to UT Southwestern as it concludes its work. For another recent naming gift for a campus building, see Purdue's $42 million business hall gift.
General information for donors and nonprofit leaders, not legal or tax advice. How we report is set out in our editorial guide.
