Page 26 - 2018 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report - City of Winston-Salem

THE MILTON RHODES
CENTER FOR THE ARTS
is the “hub” of downtown
arts in Winston-Salem.

DOWNTOWN ARTS

As the rst local arts council in the country, established are in the North Trade Street Arts Center, which also
in 1949, The Arts Council of Winston-Salem and serves as a gallery for visual and performing artists.
Forsyth County has been a national model in marshaling DADA promotes art and the arts district through events
support for civic arts and culture. Branded as “the City of such as its signature First Friday Gallery Hops, held the
Arts and Innovation,” Winston-Salem is nationally known rst Friday of each month throughout the year. During
as a center of excellence in both visual and performing these free events, the streets in the district are bustling
arts and supports about 5,000 arts-related jobs. A study with music, entertainment and food as studios, galleries,
by Americans for the Arts, a national nonpro t and shops are open for extended hours.
organization, estimated that full-time jobs in the Located in the heart of the arts district, ARTivity on the
nonpro t arts and culture sector in Forsyth County rose
15 percent, to 5,559, between 2010 and 2015. The total Green is a half-acre public art park on Liberty Street. The
park itself is a unique work of art with towering faux
economic impact of both sectors doubled in that
period, from $76.6 million to $156.8 million. smokestacks with color-changing nighttime lighting.
The structures release clouds of water vapor as a nod to
The Milton Rhodes Center for the Arts, which is owned the City’s industrial past. The park also features green
and operated by The Arts Council, is the “hub” of space for sitting and picnicking, a mural wall, and a
downtown arts in Winston-Salem. Part of the Center is a bandstand. The park was initiated by Art For Art’s Sake
former textile mill more than 100 years old, which has (AFAS), a non-pro t volunteer group that works to
been renovated to provide modern performing arts build, educate and celebrate the community through
spaces, public art galleries, arts education, and corporate art. Located beside the park is the group’s modern
and special events space. It houses the Sawtooth headquarters building, the AFAS Center for the Arts. It also
School for Visual Art, Associated Artists of Winston- houses Red Dog Gallery and inexpensive studio space for
Salem, and Coffee Park Downtown. There’s always rent by local artists. AFAS hosts the Arts on Sunday, a series
something happening at the Center: live performances, of free afternoon arts and crafts held outdoors on Liberty
lm screenings, art showings, artist receptions, art Street on Sundays in May and September.
classes and special events. For more than two decades, the Downtown Summer
The Hanesbrands Theatre is adjacent to the Milton Music Series has infused downtown Winston-Salem with
Rhodes Center and also owned and operated by the live music and festivities from June through August. The
Arts Council. It is a state-of-the-art performance venue two-part series includes Downtown Jazz, held in
for theater, dance, lm and music as well as a private Corpening Plaza on Fridays, and Summer on Liberty,
meeting and special events venue. held on 6th and Liberty Street on Saturdays. The free
Winston-Salem boasts a thriving Downtown Arts events are an essential part of summer in the City, attracting
District with working studios, galleries, locally-owned around 60,000 people of all ages, cultures and backgrounds.
retail shops, restaurants, bars, residences, and businesses. The Summer Music Series is produced by The Downtown
The eclectic “Arts District” is found along 6th, Liberty and N. Winston-Salem Partnership, the non-pro t organization
Trade streets and features a mix of restored historic reimagining downtown into a ourishing commercial,
buildings and modern structures. Celebrating its 20th cultural and residential district. The group also sponsors
anniversary, the Downtown Arts District Association the annual downtown Restaurant Week in February, the
(DADA) is the non-pro t organization leading the Spirits of Summer celebration in June featuring N.C.
revitalization of this area of downtown. Its headquarters wines, beer, food and music, and the Christmas tree lighting.

20 2018 AN NUAL R E P O R T