a&e
VAPA Brings a Vibrant Arts Space to Uptown Charlotte New Visual and Performing Arts Center Hosts Open House Event on March 5
by Chris Rudisill Qnotes Contributor
T
he Visual and Performing Arts Center, or VAPA, will officially open to the public in Charlotte on March 5. According to an earlier press release, “The intent of VAPA is to create a space which brings together artists to create, practice and exhibit their respective arts. Born out of necessity, due to the closing of Spirit Square and the lingering impact of the pandemic, a space was needed for artists to come together to continue to teach classes, rehearse shows and perform.” In a matter of months, eleven arts organizations, who became the project’s founding members, quickly transformed an underutilized government building into a vibrant arts space in the heart of the city. Those founding members are 9-189 Studio Gallery, BlkMrktClt, Gay Men’s Chorus of Charlotte, Charlotte Comedy Theater, Charlotte’s Off Broadway, JazzArts Charlotte, Levine Museum of the New South, the McColl Center, OBRA Collective, The Arts Empowerment Project and The
12
qnotes
Mar 4. - Mar. 17, 2022
Light Factory. County had reached The building out to about 26 arts is also home organizations to to 120 artists determine a plan working in for displaced artists studios across from Charlotte’s two floors Spirit Square. The and features longtime center for classrooms, arts in the city, Spirit galleries, darkSquare closed its rooms, theaters, doors in October to rehearsal space, make way for a masoffices and sive development The VAPA Center at 700 North Tryon Street in more. Earlier project that will reuptown Charlotte. Photo: Facebook this month, shape the 600 block VAPA Center of N. Tryon Street. announced that In July, due to overwhelming response, they had Mecklenburg County Commissioners closed the center’s waiting list for space. unanimously approved the initial lease In addition to open-studio events, the terms and plans for the VAPA Center to Center will have open-air artists’ markets, take occupancy of the Hal Marshall buildconcerts, artists talks and more. Artists will ing, located at 700 North Tryon Street. have the opportunity to sell their works in VAPA takes up about 130,000 feet of the the outdoor artists markets. building’s 150,000 total square footage. The project is led by local artist, The remaining space is currently used to Arthur Rogers, who spoke with qnotes in house Charlotte Mecklenburg Main Library September when the venue opened to its staff during its renovation and will later first tenants. He said that Mecklenburg be used for the field operations unit of
Mecklenburg County Sheriff’s office, according to reports. A grant from the Charlotte Center City Small Business Innovation Fund helped propel development of the project. Other sponsors include Mecklenburg County Government, McColl Center for Arts + Innovation, Charlotte Ballet, Gensler and Perkins Eastman. Prior to the renovation, Mark Hahn, director of asset and facility management with Mecklenburg County, said “as artists come and go, and present shows and events, they will take what is currently a lifeless space on North Tryon and transform it into an area of creativity, energy and cultural engagement.” The VAPA Center will host an open house from 1-6 p.m. on Saturday, March 5. People are invited to tour the center, meet artists and performers, and learn more about how the collaborative space will be part of the city’s arts community. The VAPA Center will be open Monday through Thursday from 9 a.m.-9 p.m., Friday and Saturday from 9 a.m.-10 p.m. and Sunday from 12:00-9 p.m. For more information visit www.vapacenter.com. : :
