Salisbury's art scene is a sight to behold

Paintings by local artists are displayed on the outside of the Railwalk building. Rail Walk Studios & Gallery is right across the street from Lee Street Theatre in Salisbury's Art District. PHOTOS BY ELISABETH STRILLACCI

By Brad Dountz

brad.dountz@salisburypost.com

When you think of Salisbury, do you think of all of the art that comes out of it? If not, that's ok, but that may change soon. Salisbury has always been proactive in nurturing artists and the work that they create. Having this cultural identity has made Salisbury an unlikely hub for people to come to hone their passion and give the community a spirit that is truly unique. "I can't move to another community, unless it has a very strong art scene," Elaine Spalding, President of the Rowan County Chamber of Commerce, said when interviewing for her current position. With her husband being an artist, Spalding knew that an active art scene would be beneficial for both of them when moving to a new place.

Spalding's husband, Keyth Kahrs, eventually found a home at the Rail Walk Studios & Gallery, which is a "late 1800s warehouse which has been converted to artists' studios and a cooperative gallery." "It's just wonderful to have that co-op for the artists and I think we find that in a lot of spaces here because this community has supported the arts for so long," Spalding said.

One of the other hallmarks of Salisbury's contribution to the arts is the Waterworks Visual Arts Center. Around since 1959, Waterworks has been a place where people can share their art and for others to learn more about making it themselves. The center o ers galleries, sensory gardens, a library, and studios for people who want a tangible artistic experience. "We're so fortunate here to have all that we have and it was because of the visionaries back in the late 50s and early 60s who wanted the same cultural experiences as they had in the big cities right here in their own community," Anne Scott Clement, Executive Director of Waterworks, said.

The center also o ers classes for peo-

The crosswalk art installations in the Railwalk Art District were funded by the ND CARES for Arts Grant from the Rowan Arts Council and were commissioned by the Salisbury Public Arts Commission. PHOTOS BY ELISABETH STRILLACCI

from Behold, pg. 37

ple as young as 18 months old. People can learn pottery or even learn to develop black and white photos.

Patricia Steele Raible, a Charlotte-based artist, currently has some her art on display at Waterworks. She believes that the size of Salisbury gives it an advantage over Charlotte when trying to foster the arts. "I think even Charlotte struggles with most of its art centers and museums and the downtown area to actually be able to reach the entire community because their communities on the west and the east side, they have transportation di iculties. So the nice thing about Salisbury and Waterworks is that, while it is downtown, it's close enough to everyone so that it can provide those opportunities for the young people," Raible said.

Besides just artwork, Salisbury has gone out of its way to cater to other forms of expression. Lee Street Theatre has been supporting "the development and presentation of original, challenging, and entertaining performance art" for nearly 15 years like the recent stage performance of "Dracula." The Salisbury Symphony Orchestra has been around for 52 years, employing countless classically trained musicians to perform a wide-ranging amount of music for Salisbury. "We have not only an accredited art museum, but we have four performing arts theaters, we have a symphony here, 10 historic districts, a history museum, a history room at the library," Scott said. "Arts and culture has been so important to our community for many, many, many years."

When it comes to continuing the grand tradition of supporting the arts around Salisbury, it may be up to the people growing up here now to help make sure it carries on. "Sustainability is always a big question for everybody. How are we going to sustain all of these wonderful entities that we have? And we're hoping that we're training the younger generation to step up and to do what their parents and grandparents and great-grandparents did before them," Scott said. ✦