CENTRAL TO The Central Avenue Arts Corridor development project envisions an exciting future for creative work on campus and beyond by Casey Hilder
W
ITH THE LAUNCH OF THE CENTRAL TO THE ARTS HUB on Oct. 5, 2019, the College of Communication and Fine Arts took the first step toward reimagining the stretch of land between Patterson Street and Zach Curlin Street as the Central Avenue Arts Corridor, an all-new civic centerpiece and destination for creative minds in the Greater Memphis Area.
“The Central Avenue Arts Corridor is something we’ve been thinking about for a long time,” said Dr. Anne Hogan, dean of the College of Communication and Fine Arts. “It’s a designation for the northern end of campus that has become known for its fantastic arts, music and theater facilities. Now, we want to make it something more and invite the rest of the city in to see what we’re up to.” The inaugural event of this rebranding effort came when the former Visitor Information Center at the corner of Patterson Street and Central Avenue was transformed into The Central to the Arts Hub, a gateway to the UofM art scene that grants student artists an ongoing opportunity to display their work year-round in a pop-up gallery format. According to Hogan, this was also the first step toward making the artistic endeavors of the University of Memphis more visible to the public at large. “The Arts Hub is significant in terms of giving our students entrepreneurial experience and an opportunity to sell their work while considering creative production and how it fits into the local economy,” said Richard Lou, chair of the UofM Department of Art. “It will also serve as a visual marker that the visitor is entering a creative cultural landscape that encompasses everything related to the visual arts, film, theatre, dance and music.”
28 VOICES | UNIVERSITY OF MEMPHIS
“THE ARTS HUB IS SIGNIFICANT IN TERMS OF GIVING OUR STUDENTS ENTREPRENEURIAL EXPERIENCE AND AN OPPORTUNITY TO SELL THEIR WORK.”
