THE CENTER
BLUEFIELD ARTS CENTER
A Place for the Arts
The Bluefield Arts Center is nestled in southern West Virginia and is surrounded by a community passionate for the arts. Located in the downtown area of the city of Bluefield, it is the focal point for the arts as it serves Bluefield and the surrounding region.
The Bluefield Arts Center provides two galleries, a neoclassic performing arts center, and a restaurant with a comfortable and inviting atmosphere. The Center also serves the local community by housing offices for small businesses.
Bluefield, West Virginia once known as "Little New York", is a small community located in the mountains on the West Virginia-Virginia border.
OUR HISTORY
A Place for the Arts
Bluefield, West Virginia once known as "Little New York" is a small community located in the mountains on the West Virginia-Virginia border, and is home to historic Bluefield State College.
Erected in 1924
Bluefield's lovely Arts and Crafts Center, listed on the National Register since 1979, was for fifty years the seat of Bluefield's municipal government.
Erected in 1924, the Municipal Building of Bluefield was designed by architects Wilbur T. Mills, of Columbus, Ohio; Garry & Sheffy of Bluefield, West Virginia, and built by H.A. Lucas, a Bluefield contractor.
The commanding three-story, Neo-Classical Revival structure housed all municipal offices through 1977 and covers half of a city block high atop a hill overlooking Bluefield's historic downtown district.
Three-Story Skylit Great Hall
Its massive columned facade is the most prominent and recognizable physical feature in the community, and the three-story skylit Great Hall is perhaps the most beautiful room in southern West Virginia.
When city government moved several blocks away in 1977, a broad-based citizens' movement succeeded in saving the structure, and now a non-profit Board employs a full-time Director and oversees a host of artistic activities.
Cultural Enrichment
Theatre troupes, concerts, and receptions grace the stately auditorium. Galleries, craft shops, studios, and restaurants occupy the former offices of the fire and police officers, crowning the balconied atrium.
Thousands of visitors each year enjoy the many splendid opportunities for cultural enrichment available at the Center. Indeed, somewhere deep within the Area Arts and Crafts Center beats the heart of the city of Bluefield.