Charlotte Center for the Arts Plans $5 Million Community Hub in South Charlotte

Charlotte Center for the Arts will construct a $5 million hub in South Charlotte over the next five years. The nonprofit wants to close the arts access gap for those living south of downtown.

This hub will feature a black-box theater. Community space will also be included. Leaders are scouting strip malls for potential leases, though no specific site has been chosen yet.

Co-founder Julia Zilke said the area lacks sufficient arts infrastructure. "If you live in city limits, you pay city taxes; you would like to think that access to cultural assets would be equitable across all geographic areas," Zilke said, according to Axios.

The group has bigger ambitions, too. A larger campus could arrive in 10-12 years, carrying a $125 million price tag and spanning 100,000 square feet.

This flagship campus would house an 800-seat theater and a black-box theater sharing a common lobby. Classrooms and event spaces would round out the facility, with locations south of SouthPark under consideration.

South Charlotte has a shortage of affordable arts venues, Zilke explained. The nonprofit aims to transform underused properties to break down barriers as outer neighborhoods absorb more of the city's expansion.

CCA needs to raise $90,000 for a feasibility study first. That study will take six to eight months, after which a capital campaign for the hub will begin.

The nonprofit held a happy hour on Wednesday at Grace O'Malley's in Matthews. CCA leaders presented project updates, next steps, and their vision for the future at the gathering from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.

Tickets cost $25. Attendees received a drink ticket and small bites.