Lawrenceville is inviting the public to join city leaders at 11 a.m. June 13 for a groundbreaking ceremony for the city’s new performing arts center at 175 North Clayton St. in downtown Lawrenceville.

The $31 million, 50,000-square-foot arts center expansion will include a 500-plus-seat theatre, education space, office space and public space that will create a central gathering spot for the arts. The new arts facility will be adjacent to the existing Aurora Theatre. The expansion will help the city meet a goal to become a futuristic college town by bringing students into the city’s downtown from Georgia Gwinnett College’s Cinema and Media Arts program.