Richmond High School for the Arts prepares to open new building

RICHMOND, Va. (WWBT) - Richmond High School for the Arts is set to open its new building to students next week.

The building includes a new three-court gym and athletics wing, dedicated podcast and multimedia rooms, and dance studios. It was designed to hold more than 2,000 students and follows what school leaders call a hub-and-spoke model, with arts, athletics and other wings separated.

The centerpiece is a 933-seat auditorium with a balcony. Richmond Public Schools said it hopes the space becomes a destination for the performing arts in the city.

Richmond High School for the Arts will remain a neighborhood school for students in Southside. In 2027, it will also launch the inaugural year of RPS Passion4Learning. Students from across the district will be able to apply for a spot in its arts program.

The building also includes an open concept cafeteria, multiple indoor and outdoor spaces for students, and weight and training rooms in the athletics wing.

The new building is opening months ahead of its original timeline after flooding forced students out of the old building at the end of the last school year. School leaders say crews have been working around the clock to prepare the building for next week.

The old building next door will eventually be demolished to make way for the school’s new sports facilities.

Principal Monica Glass said the focus on the arts influenced hiring decisions for the school.

“Many of the teachers we hired whether they teach English, math, gym, they have interest in the arts or have been in band or played instruments, or are comic book designers, so we were very intentional about the staff we hired for this space because it’s about the arts,” Glass said.

Students began arriving Wednesday to pick up class schedules and tour the new space ahead of the first day of school. A planned ribbon cutting ceremony was postponed because of weather. School leaders say it will be rescheduled for sometime this fall.

Freshmen will be the first to return to the building Monday, with the rest of the school returning Tuesday.