Douglas Anderson School of the Arts Celebrates Opening of Betsy Lovett Amphitheatre
New performance space sets the stage for enhanced learning opportunities at nationally recognized arts high school
Oct. 17, 2025 — Jacksonville, Fla. — As the curtains rise on a new school year, the Developing Artists Foundation and Douglas Anderson School of the Arts (DA) proudly announce the school’s debut of its newest stage: a 5,000-square-foot outdoor amphitheatre, situated in the heart of the campus for the award-winning arts high school.
The completion of the Betsy Lovett Amphitheatre fulfills a vision 13 years in the making. In 2012, the foundation for a future amphitheatre was poured as part of a campus construction project. Former principal Jackie Cornelius began working with architect Tom Rinsing, patron Betsy Lovett and the DA Foundation to raise funds, with Lovett generously pledging the first seed money for the project. Despite the challenges of skyrocketing construction costs, the Covid-19 pandemic and securing private financial support, the DA Foundation never wavered in its commitment to the project.
The open-air amphitheatre expands opportunities for DA students to learn, rehearse, perform and connect. The centrally located venue features stadium-style seating for up to 300 people, a covered roof, lights and flexible features to hang additional stage lighting and speakers.
Students from across DA’s 10 arts programs — from music, dance, theatre, visual and cinematic arts to creative writing — will benefit from the opportunity to utilize the amphitheatre for productions and events.
“This amphitheatre marks the realization of a vision, which will change how the community and students experience the arts. Year after year, DA students demonstrate that they have the talent and discipline to shine on the stage. Bringing this amphitheatre to the campus provides yet another venue for these young performers to develop their skills and share them with the world — rain or shine,” said Timothy Feagins, Principal of DA. “Performing in the open air presents unique challenges and learning opportunities that are completely different from the controlled environment of a traditional stage or black box theater. I’m elated to see how this space inspires and enriches our students’ creativity. A special thanks goes to the DA Foundation for making this a reality.”
Philanthropic funding for the $1.18 million project was provided entirely through community contributions to the Developing Artists (DA) Foundation, with generous support from the late Betsy Lovett, Preston Haskell and Ann Hicks. Donations from patrons and community supporters across Northeast Florida also played a role in the project’s successful completion.
Tom Rensing, owner of KBJ Architects, designed the structure to complement the visual style of other projects he worked on over the past 20 years for the school, including the campus rotunda, atrium, jazz building and vocal performance building. The amphitheatre’s roof features sweeping lines that embrace the structure, creating a completely one-of-a-kind space for student rehearsals and productions.
Scherer Construction oversaw construction. Haskell provided engineering support. Landscaping was provided by Greenscape of Jacksonville, Mulch Masters, volunteers from the senior class of 2026 and Aspire Church.
“Across cultures throughout history, amphitheatres have brought communities together. We’re proud to honor that artistic tradition through the completion of this project,” said Erin Vance Skinner, President of the DA Foundation. “Adding this incredible venue to DA’s campus has been a long-term dream for the Developing Artists Foundation. We’re grateful to the many donors, community partners and collaborators who brought this vision to life.”
The unveiling of the amphitheatre further solidifies DA as a school where arts and academics meet in excellence. The school earned an “A” grade from the Florida Department of Education for the last three decades. Additionally, DA was recognized in October at the Kennedy Center as a National Exemplary Arts High School, and was listed as one of the top 50 best high schools (#33) in the state of Florida by U.S. News & World Report. The rankings consider several factors, including college readiness and graduation rates; DA’s senior class has achieved a 100% graduation rate for four years in a row. Over $23.5 million in scholarships were offered to graduates of the class of 2025.
To learn more about the DA Foundation, visit developingartistsfoundation.org. If interested in opportunities to support future projects and programs at DA through the Developing Artists Foundation, contact Jackie Cornelius at corneliusjackie2@gmail.com.
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About the Developing Artists Foundation:
The Developing Artists (DA) Foundation, a non-profit corporation created in 1987, is committed to supporting the arts with a priority of supporting Douglas Anderson School of the Art’s critical arts needs. As in most specialized arts schools, the arts’ needs go far beyond what an individual parent-support group or the school district is able to fund, specifically in regard to the demanding arts departments’ needs; such as, master arts classes, collaborative partnerships, specialized arts equipment and projects, summer arts scholarships, arts teacher fellowships, arts events, public relations and arts programming. The DA Foundation is committed to providing critical funding necessary to ensure that the school can meet its mission of supporting arts in our community and providing DA students “cutting-edge” training and intensive arts study, as well as to ensure that DA’s arts programs meet the standards set by our nation’s top arts conservatories, art institutes and universities.
