What: A media tour of UC Davis' rapidly rising Center for the Arts a little more than a year before it is scheduled to open. When: Thursday, Aug. 23 3:30 p.m. Briefing in the Founders Room of the Buehler Alumni and Visitors Center to give context for the tour, including information on planning the center, its service to the university and region, and expanded opportunities for the arts and K-12 education. 4 p.m. Tour of the construction site next to the center. Who: o Bob Segar, assistant vice chancellor for campus planning, will guide the tour and provide background on the center's planning. o Elizabeth Langland, dean of the Division of Humanities, Arts and Cultural Studies, will talk about its importance to the UC Davis arts programs and to the campus. o Brian McCurdy, director of UC Davis Cultural Programs, will talk about how the center will bring more and higher-quality arts to the Sacramento region and expand opportunities for regional arts organizations. Where: Begin in the Founders Room of the Buehler Alumni and Visitors Center, east of the Center for the Arts construction site on the UC Davis campus; proceed at 4 p.m. to the construction site. Visuals: o The building structure just before enclosure: The stage, auditorium, foundation, orchestra pit, fly tower, special acoustical ceiling system. o Watercolors of the completed project. o Beta deck video footage of construction workers as they build the center: jackhammering, drilling, sealing exterior block, setting electrical devices. RSVP: Please RSVP to Heather Atherton of Runyon Saltzman & Einhorn, (916) 446-9900 (office), (916) 601-8007 (cell), or hatherton@RS-E.com, by 5 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 22. People taking the tour must wear flat-soled, closed-toed shoes (no sandals), pants and hard hats, and must sign liability waivers. Background: The Center for the Arts will be available for productions by campus and regional arts groups as well as the professional artists booked through UC Davis Presents. McCarthy Building Cos. is constructing the center, which includes the 1,800-seat Jackson Hall and 250-seat studio theater. The regional arts facility will have the latest stage production technology and acoustical design by one of the country's foremost sound experts. The $60.9 million project -- $53.5 million for construction, $5 million for endowment and $2.4 million for program and start-up costs -- is being financed through a combination of campus funds, a UC regents' loan and a $30 million capital fund-raising campaign. Directions: Take Interstate 80 to the UC Davis campus exit (west of Richards Boulevard exit). Turn north from off-ramp on to Old Davis Road. Drive past South Gate kiosk, heading straight to new parking facility. Media can park free on campus in any nonrestricted space. If your vehicle is not marked, place a media business card on the dashboard. Take the pathway on the east side of the parking facility, following the signs to the Buehler center, located just east of the Center for the Arts.