The Southern Vermont Arts Center (SVAC) will break ground in June on a $14.5-million, 12,000-square-foot addition to its historic Yester Building in Manchester, Vermont, with completion expected in June 2026. The new wing will house the Lyman Orton Collection, "For the Love of Vermont," featuring over 250 pieces of art from the 1920s to the 1960s, alongside contemporary exhibitions and traveling shows. The project also includes an ADA elevator, climate-controlled storage, an outdoor space, a roof terrace, and expanded dining at the curATE Cafe.
This expansion marks a major milestone for SVAC, which sees about 40,000 visitors annually and now holds what its board president calls the largest collection of Vermont art in the state. The wing transforms a private collection—kept at home until a 2023 exhibition at Bennington Museum and SVAC drew blockbuster crowds—into a permanent public resource. It reinforces Manchester's identity as an art destination and ensures the legacy of Vermont artists is preserved for future generations, bridging historical and contemporary work.