The Progress
Follow the progress through our multi-year campaign to create an arts center in the heart of downtown Southport.

Save the Hall, Y'all!
As part of its third Memorandum of Understanding with the City of Southport, Up Your Arts has an agreement with local officials to advance the project to pre-construction by taking the following next steps:
- Conduct community-based presentations to inform the public and solicit ongoing feedback
- Lead an executive committee comprised of professional experts to direct activities pro bono
- Share and discuss outcomes with municipal leaders
- Manage a local volunteer membership group to plan future programming
- Foster community-based efforts to connect and develop a range of fundraising sources
for the building’s reconstruction - Fund professional architectural services necessary to solicit contractor bids
- Establish a cross-section of local stakeholders to form a non-profit board of directors
as the legal agency to oversee and direct funding for the reconstruction and to enter
into a leasing agreement with the City of Southport to operate and maintain the
property as a community arts center
Up Your Arts is committed to both transparency and accountability in our partnership with the City of Southport and our various community partners. The offers of help we have received, from pro bono hands-on activity to financial support, point to a very successful project outcome.
Progress Updates
July 2023 Arts Center Update
Board Candidate Invitations Sent
An invitation to potential candidates for the new art center board of directors has been distributed via email. We will be soliciting their level of interest in follow up conversations and scheduling ...
Read More > June 2023 Arts Center Update
Candidate List & Invitations
We are compiling a list of individuals to invite them to join the Arts Center Board of Directors. We’d like to take this opportunity to again solicit the names of ...
Read More > May 2023 Arts Center Update
Restoration, Gala and Interviews
We have identified draft interview questions and criteria for selection of the art center’s new board of directors. Invitations to apply will be sent to potential candidates in May and interviewsscheduled ...
Read More > March 2023 Arts Center Update
New Committees Setup
At its monthly meeting on February 7, 2023, the Up Your Arts Board of Directors approved a motion to proceed with the incorporation of a new nonprofit organization to organize and manage ...
Read More > February 2023 Arts Center Update
Meetings, Modules and Criteria
Up Your Arts held six public meetings at the Indian Trail Meeting Hall from January 24-February 2 to review plans for the proposed art center. These charrettes allowed citizens and other ...
Read More > January 2023 Arts Center Update
Starting Board Selection
We expect to have the board of trustees selection committee in place by the end of February The selection committee will interview those who respond positively and evaluate their candidacy, based ...
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