FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Haywood County Arts Council Acquires Permanent Home in Downtown Waynesville
Historic 196 N. Main Street Building Will Become a New Arts Center for Haywood County
WAYNESVILLE, NC — September 2026 — After nearly 50 years of serving the community, the Haywood County Arts Council (HCAC) has a permanent home.
On Friday, September 4, 2026, the Haywood County Arts Council officially closed on the purchase of 196 N. Main Street in downtown Waynesville, marking an exciting new chapter for the organization and for the arts in Haywood County.
The purchase was made possible by an extraordinarily generous anonymous donor, allowing HCAC to acquire the building debt-free.
“This is bigger than anything the Arts Council has ever received in our nearly 50-year history,” said Tonya Harwood, Executive Director of the Haywood County Arts Council. “I am overwhelmed by this incredible gift and by the generosity and belief in the arts that it represents. This donor has given us an opportunity that we could never have created on our own.”
A Year-Long Search Leads to a Permanent Home
For the past year, HCAC has been searching for a permanent home—one that could accommodate its growing programs, provide more opportunities for local artists, and ultimately become a true arts center for the community.
When the building at 196 N. Main Street became available, it immediately caught the Arts Council’s attention. The building, formerly home to Sassafras Toy Store and, before that, Cedar Hill Gallery, already has a history of bringing creativity and community together.
“When we first looked at the building, it seemed like such a huge space,” Harwood said. “But the more we thought about it, the more we realized that this is exactly what we need—a space we can really grow into. It gives us room to dream about what the Haywood County Arts Council can become and what an arts center can mean for our county.”
The approximately 17,400-square-foot, three-story building will give HCAC the opportunity to bring many of its programs and services together under one roof.
A New Arts Center for Haywood County
The future arts center is envisioned as a place where people can see art, make art, learn, gather, and connect.
Planned uses for the building include:
- Gallery exhibition spaces showcasing local and regional artists
- A second-hand art supply store, providing affordable creative materials to the community
- The Quilt Block Painting Studio
- Classrooms and workshop space for arts education and hands-on creative experiences
- Community space for gatherings
- A lending library for HCAC artist members
- Affordable artist studios on the top floor, providing artists with dedicated space to create and work
The additional space will allow HCAC to expand its programming, support more artists, offer new educational opportunities, and create a place where community members of all ages and abilities can engage with the arts.
“This building gives us possibilities we simply haven’t had before,” Harwood said. “We can imagine programs and opportunities that weren’t possible because we didn’t have the space. Now we can start thinking about what is possible.”
Elevate the Arts: Making the Building Accessible to Everyone
While the purchase of the building is a tremendous milestone, HCAC knows there is still important work ahead.
One of the Arts Council’s highest priorities is ensuring that the building is fully accessible to people of all abilities. The existing elevator is no longer operational and will need to be rebuilt to provide access to all three floors.
HCAC also plans to make improvements to the building’s stairways to provide fire-safe routes throughout the building, as well as add skylights to the top floor to bring natural light into the future affordable artist studios.
To help make these improvements possible, HCAC has launched its Elevate the Arts capital campaign.
“We don’t just want to own a building,” Harwood said. “We want to create a place that truly belongs to the community—a place that is welcoming and accessible to everyone. That’s why the next phase is so important. We want to make sure people of all abilities can experience everything this building has to offer.”
Community members, businesses, and supporters of the arts are invited to be part of this next chapter by contributing to the Elevate the Arts campaign.
Learn more and support the campaign:
Elevate the Arts – HCAC Capital Campaign
A Historic Moment for HCAC
The purchase of 196 N. Main Street marks an exciting new chapter for the Haywood County Arts Council as it approaches its 50th anniversary in 2027. The permanent home will provide space to expand programs, support artists, and create new opportunities for the community to experience and participate in the arts.
“This is a really big moment for the Haywood County Arts Council,” Harwood said. “For nearly 50 years, we’ve been working to bring the arts to our community. Now, we have the opportunity to create a permanent home and a true arts center for Haywood County.”
“We are incredibly grateful to our anonymous donor, to the people who have supported the Arts Council over the years, and to everyone in this community who has believed in what we do. This building is the beginning of something new, and we are excited to see what we can create here together.”
About the Haywood County Arts Council
Founded in 1977, the Haywood County Arts Council supports artists and provides arts education, exhibitions, programs, and opportunities for the community to engage with the arts.
For more information, visit haywoodarts.org or follow the Haywood County Arts Council on social media.
Elevate the Arts (In-Progress): https://photos.app.goo.gl/Lp9x9wPDgKxfg539A
