The Agua Fria Union High School District Governing Board has approved a $60M performing arts school project.
Funded by a bond measure approved by voters in 2023, the new Fine Arts Academy & Performing Arts Center is planned to open in August 2026 and will be built in partnership with the City of Litchfield Park. The City is leasing the site on the La Loma Hilltop near Litchfield and Camelback roads to the District for $1/year over a 75-year term.
Capacity will be between 400 and 500 students, according to project representatives, with all students being added at the same time. The school will operate like any other public school—including standard curriculum items like math, science and language—but will also include a heavy focus on a variety of performing arts.
The goals are to provide a focused arts training curriculum for students and to draw a wider array of arts and performing arts opportunities to the southwest Valley. Students will use the center for roughly 100 nights a year, with other nights filled by different theater, dance or other performances.
The Fine Arts Academy is planned to draw students from across the Phoenix area, and students will be required to audition to gain admittance.
Along with the school, the District will develop an arts consortium that will engage businesses and other organizations to ensure classroom instruction translates to real-world experiences and opportunities.
The District plans to hold public outreach events to solicit public comment on design features, such as school colors and other essential components. (Source)
