LANCASTER COUNTY, S.C. — The Lancaster Cultural Arts Center, which began as the Old Presbyterian Church needed major renovations.
Now, those changes are being revealed by the Lancaster Society of Historical Preservation.
On Thursday, those with the historical society, the city, Lindsay Pettus Greenway and other prominent community leaders holding a grand opening for the new and improved $2.4 million cultural arts center.
The church building remains a historic structure, but now, it includes two additional buildings, both with modern upgrades.
The CAC will include a concert series, a new vestibule with bathrooms and a green room for performers.
Leaders say they’d like to add lectures and exhibits on African American history and the textile industry.
The project received financial support from individuals, corporations, the city of Lancaster, the Arras Foundation and the state and county.
“We have a plan to really make Lancaster a cultural Mecca and we know that ultimately we are going to be engulfed by Charlotte,” said John Craig with Lancaster County Society for Historical Preservation. “We’d like to make our town unique and to help shape that so that it is really a great place, continues to be a great place to live, work and for people to come to because it’s an exciting place.”
“This will help bring more, a variety of types of programs and performers and I think the quality of performers can be raised because they will want to come here and I think it will be a key component to the revitalization of this arts district, West Gay Street and into the downtown of Lancaster,” said Jimmy Wilhide, CAC architect.
COVID did mean the cancellation of performances, but they’re ready to get back to it.
The CAC is resuming its concert series Saturday, November 14th. It will only be selling 60 tickets, requiring masks and enforcing social distancing.
They also still need to raise $145,000 to complete all the upgrades.
