Chester Fritz Auditorium

Mission Statement:

The Chester Fritz Auditorium promotes the performing arts and provides the region with a facility to accommodate a wide variety of uses. The Chester Fritz Auditorium enhances the life of the University and region by sponsoring shows, hosting regional events and supporting local productions.

About Us:

In 1965 Chester Fritz, a University of North Dakota (UND) alumnus, gave UND one million dollars towards the construction of a "distinctive auditorium" on the campus. A matching appropriation of $1 million from the State of North Dakota and another $1 million in private donations completed funding for the impressive Chester Fritz Auditorium.

Today the University of North Dakota is the site of the Chester Fritz Auditorium, one of the finest and most unique buildings in the state and the surrounding area. All types of live entertainment from professional music groups, dance companies, and theater groups to local folk artists and singing groups perform on its stage.

The Chester Fritz Auditorium rests on a base measuring 170' x 220' and has an average height of 85 feet, equivalent to a seven story building. The building covers over 26,000 square feet of ground and has more than two acres of interior floors. The building is constructed of 1 1/3 million pounds of steel framing, approximately 1/3 million pounds of steel reinforcing and more than 12 million pounds of concrete. The exterior is of orange Hebron rock-faced brick and pre-cast concrete, both made in North Dakota.