Visitor Information

aerial view of campus

    Parking Information

    Kirkland Fine Arts Center experiences a high volume of traffic for major events so patrons are encouraged to plan an early arrival. The Kirkland Fine Arts Center Main Auditorium opens 30 minutes prior to most performances. Refreshments are served in the lobby starting one hour prior to a performance and both Perkinson Gallery and the Lower Gallery are open for viewings when an exhibit is present. Several parking lots are available for events at Kirkland Fine Arts Center. Refer to our parking map for more details.

    Parking lots near the facility

    Kirkland Main Parking Lot: Located directly in front of the Center, this lot provides adequate parking for smaller, more intimate events. Access to the lot is available from the West entrance only. All patrons must use this entrance when leaving the Center. Only a few accessible spaces are available, so these patrons are urged to plan an early arrival. If a drop-off is required, patrons should pull their car to the East curb (between the Circle Drive and Kirkland Drive). In some cases, the main parking lot may not be available to regular patrons. During larger events, such as the Kirkland Series performances or Millikin Decatur Symphony Orchestra concerts, this lot may be full. In such cases, the lots listed below should be available.

    Westminster Parking Lot: Located South-West and across the street (Highway 48) of the main parking lot, this lot provides ample parking for larger events. The entrance to the lot is located on West Main Street across from the Alumni and Development House. Patrons should use the cross walk either at the corner of West Main and Highway 48 or in front of the Center at the North end of the Westminster Parking Lot. Patrons are urged to take caution when crossing Highway 48.

    Staley Parking Lot: Located South of the Center, this lot is accessible from West Main Street. Because the lot is small, finding a space during larger events may prove difficult. It is only a two minute walk from the Center entrance. This lot is recommended for performances held at Albert Taylor Theatre inside Shilling Hall.

    Wood Street Lots: These lots are accessible from Wood Street and are located South of the Center. Patrons should use the crosswalk at the North end of the lots that crosses West Main Street or at the North-West intersection of West Main and Highway 48. Accessibility is limited in these lots for events held at Kirkland Fine Arts Center, with a walking distance of three to four minutes.

    Reserved Parking

    Reserved parking is offered to members of our Friends program who join at the $250 level or above. Members who desire to have a space reserved in the Kirkland Parking Lot for a specified event must contact the Kirkland Fine Arts Center Ticket Office at 217.424.6318 at least 48 hours prior to the scheduled event. Spaces will not be reserved unless the Ticket Office has been notified. All reserved spaces will be released at 10 minutes prior to the scheduled program start time. Reserved spaces are not guaranteed less than 10 minutes prior to the performance in order to insure a pleasant experience by all patrons.

    Accessible Parking

    Kirkland Fine Arts Center's main lot has ten accessible parking spaces. Once these spots have been used, Kirkland is unable to provide a designated location for patrons with mobility challenges to park. Patrons are encouraged to arrive early if they need these spaces. Additional options include patron drop-off in front of the Center and parking across Fairview Avenue in the Westminster designated accessible spaces. Additional spaces can be reserved in advance to ticketed productions if patrons have an accessible parking placard/plate by calling the Ticket Office at least 48 hours prior to the performance.

    Bus parking

    Bus tours should contact the Kirkland Ticket Office at least 48 hours prior to their arrival in order to arrange drop-off and pick-up arrangements with Kirkland staff. Buses will be required to park across Fairview Avenue in Fairview Park during the performance. Special accommodations may be made with prior consent from Kirkland.