In 2024, the Colburn School of Music & Dance broke ground on the Colburn Center, a major campus expansion designed by Frank Gehry with acoustics by Nagata Acoustics and theatre planning by TheatreDNA. The project aimed to transform the school from an academic conservatory model into a premier cultural hub within downtown Los Angeles’ Grand Avenue Arts Corridor. 

TheatreDNA led the feasibility study and business and operational planning to guide this transformation. Scope included executive coaching, financial analysis and pro forma development, ticketing and venue management system procurement, organizational design, and new unit onboarding. TheatreDNA also crafted a programming model to balance Colburn’s educational mission with cultural enterprise goals, integrating school performances, guest artist presentations, partner programming, and outside rentals. This model informed workflow systems, staffing recommendations, and operational frameworks to support high-level artistic, educational, and community activities across the expanded facility portfolio.

 The Colburn Center will operate as a new department of the school, coordinating with academic units while maintaining independent operations. With its 1,000-seat concert hall, studio theatre, gardens, and event spaces, the Center will elevate Colburn’s profile as both a training institution and a civic destination, enriching Los Angeles’ cultural life.