Butler University is known nationwide for its commitment to academic excellence and being home to the Butler Bulldogs, who play in the historic Hinkle Fieldhouse. However, Butler University is also home to Butler Arts and Events Center (BAEC), a group of event facilities including performance venues, conference and meeting rooms, outdoor spaces, and housing. The seven different venues welcome over 300,000 visitors annually.
Programming includes:
- Butler Arts Presents events
- BAEC’s Education Matinee Series
- Jordan College of the Arts performances
- Broadway In Indianapolis shows
- Various Butler lecture series
Performances from local performing arts organizations and a variety of national touring shows .
Venues include well-known Clowes Memorial Hall (2148 seats), Schrott Center for the Arts (475 seats), Shelton Auditorium (400 seats), The Krannert Room (150 seated, 300 standing, 250 theater-style seating), Eidson-Duckwall Recital Hall (135 seats), Lilly Hall Studio Theatre (100 seats) and historic Hinkle Fieldhouse (11,000 seats).
“As our largest venue, Hinkle Fieldhouse has hosted former presidents speaking there,” says Shelby Spray, Butler’s marketing manager. “Most people know our next-largest venue, Clowes Memorial Hall. We host the bulk of our larger shows there. We host about half of the season for Broadway Across America there.”
The smaller venues such as the Shelton Auditorium provide a cozy space for dance recitals, up-and-coming comedians, podcasts and lectures. The recently renovated Shelton Auditorium, with its beautiful Greek-style theater and enhanced comfort for attendees, maintains its original design aesthetic, offering a unique and historical experience.
Schrott Center for the Arts, an intimate venue with a full-sized proscenium stage, is designed to optimize acoustics and sight lines. It’s equally suited for music, dance and theater, and is home to the BAEC Free Movie Series.
“While some of our larger ticketed events cost to attend, it’s important to know many of our other offerings are free to attend,” Spray says. “We work very hard to offer a variety of programming for all interests, so there is a little bit of something for everyone.”
Broadway Across America presents the best of Broadway shows without the travel.
“Obviously, Butler University hosts major comedians, major acts, and major Broadway shows coming through, but we also support all of Butler art students performances,” says Mallory Doyel, director of event marketing. “Clowes Memorial Hall is so well-known and iconic, but we’re working all the time to add more and more free offerings for Indianapolis residents. New programming is added all the time.”
Eidson-Duckwall Recital Hall, located inside Butler University’s Robertson Hall (office of admission), contains a stunning 300-square-foot white oak stage. It hosts student, faculty and guest recitals by the School of Music, and small concerts, talks and lectures.
BAEC even includes a 7,500 square-foot Esports Park that presents tournament-style, high-performance gaming gear, event and co-working spaces, a cafe, a studio and production room, and offices.
Guests can purchase tickets for any event on the BAEC website, or through the Clowes Memorial Box Office, which is open Wednesday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Spray says purchasing from the box office is a great way to avoid additional online fees.
“We do offer a mailing list that we send twice a week announcing shows that are going on sale that week, and also presale codes,” says Spray. “If people are interested in joining the mailing list, they can do so on the Butler Arts and Events Center website. It’s updated all the time with the new offerings.”
Butler University’s commitment to enriching the lives of the surrounding community members is evident in its ever-expanding programming through the BAEC. It is located at 4602 Sunset Avenue in Indianapolis. Butler University is dedicated to providing a diverse range of events and facilities. For more information, visit butlerartscenter.org.
