The Clifton Cultural Arts Center (CCAC) has found a new home. Or at least the space where they plan to build one.
The CCAC will be relocating just down the street from their current space in Clifton and will be building a new center at 3412 Clifton Ave. Neighbor Dewey's Pizza and the CCAC entered into a purchase and sale agreement for the lot, says a release.
“Similar to CCAC’s mission to bring people together through art, nourishing our community is the vision of Dewey’s Pizza,” said Andrew DeWitt, chairman of Dewey's, in the release. “The partnership with a well-respected community non-profit enhances our Clifton community and our neighborhood business district overall. We are excited to make this corridor even more vibrant with the CCAC for the individuals, children and families we serve.”
The new 18,000-square-foot center will again function as a multi-use community space with two art galleries; a "maker space;" a studio, performance and rehearsal space; and education rooms to host classes and events. The CCAC says they will serve more than 40,000 individuals annually through their low-cost or free programming.
The building is slated to cost $8.5 million and more than 25 percent of that has already been secured. The CCAC will start a fundraising campaign for the remainder later this year.
The new, permanent space comes after a volunteer "task force" of business, community and arts leaders explored more than two dozen sites in Clifton for the CCAC's relocation. "In addition, CCAC conducted dozens of community feedback sessions attended by hundreds of neighbors and patrons," says a release.
“We’re so appreciative to the task force, community leaders, our staff and volunteers for providing their time and energy to help us find the perfect location for a new home,” said Leslie Mooney, CCAC executive director, in the same release. “In a time of global pandemic and mandated physical distancing, we realize now more than ever before how important it is to build community, and we look forward to the time when we can come together through the arts once again.”
The CCAC opened in 2008 and operated in the old Clifton School Building under a lease from Cincinnati Public Schools until that space was needed to again function as a local school due to increasing student enrollment. The CCAC moved to a temporary headquarters on Short Vine in 2018 and offered programming at satellite locations. They will continue to function out of their Short Vine space until the new building is complete.
Learn more at cliftonculturalarts.org.