VAPA: When one creative door closes, many more open 

by Page Leggett on September 30, 2021

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The Visual and Performing Arts Center (VAPA) opened to tenants on Sept. 13 as a response to the closing of Spirit Square – permanently – to accommodate construction on the main library next door. (Moment of silence for another iconic building and institution gone. And a moment of thanks that the McGlohon Theater remains.) 

As a result, “many of Charlotte’s most innovative and cherished arts organizations lost an essential space to teach classes, rehearse shows and perform,” said Arthur Rogers, VAPA project manager.

Eleven anchor arts organizations – known as “founding members” – worked with Mecklenburg County to identify an “underused space in uptown that could be repurposed as an improvised arts center,” Rogers said. They found it at 700 N. Tryon St. in the old Hal Marshall Building, which was originally a Sears department store built in 1949.

Those founding members are:

• McColl Center for Art + Innovation
• 9189 Studio Gallery
• JazzArts Charlotte
• Charlotte Comedy Theater
• The Arts Empowerment Project
• Gay Men’s Chorus of Charlotte
• Charlotte’s Off Broadway
• Blkmrktclt
• The Light Factory Photo Arts Center
• OBRA Collective
• Levine Museum of the New South

Building a home for many disciplines

VAPA will include galleries; artist studios; several theaters, including space for improv; dance studios; arts therapy and education; a museum space and an arts school. Community events will range from an open-air artists’ market to outdoor and indoor concerts, artist talks, events and more.

“This group was inspired by similar artistic incubators in other cities that, once established, grew in popularity and were able to transform once-desolate areas of town into thriving hubs for business and tourism,” he added.

The space is welcoming to all. “We are … a multitude of artistic disciplines, cultures, races, genders and orientations,” Rogers said. “We are truly inclusive in all areas.”

A wealth of space

VAPA takes up about 130,000 square feet of the building’s 150,000 total square footage. The rest of the space is reserved by Mecklenburg County to house the Main Library staff while construction is being completed on their new space. Once complete, that space will be renovated to house the field operations unit of the Mecklenburg County Sheriff’s office.

VAPA sponsors are:

• Mecklenburg County Government
• McColl Center for Art + Innovation
• Charlotte Ballet
• Gensler
• Perkins Eastman
• Charlotte Center City Partners

The VAPA Center will open to the public Monday through Thursday from 9 a.m. until 9 p.m., Friday and Saturday from 9 a.m. until 10 p.m. (or later as events require) and Sunday from noon until 9 p.m.

Worth knowing:

• Pricing is not by the VAPA Center; it’s set by the individual arts group. Visiting the center is free of charge. There will be VAPA-sponsored events for the public that may require some ticketing.
• Concessions will be available from Pauline’s Apothecary Tea Bar as well as food trucks and beverage vendors during events.
• Currently, VAPA is not streaming any events, but there are plans to live stream several events a month. Most events will be created by the individual tenants.
• VAPA is currently in negotiations with Spectrum and Google to provide high-speed internet to tenants and visitors.

Learn more:

Book an event online at www.vapacenter.com or on the sites of the members of the center.

*Featured Image: Mural by Sebastian Coolidge at VAPA Center – Photo Credit: Arthur Rogers

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