History

Yadkin Arts Council - Logo

Yadkin Arts Council

The arts have always been a staple in the history of Yadkin County. The Yadkin Arts Council has served out of numerous shared spaces in the area, including the Yadkinville High School auditorium, and the building which hosts our Yadkin Cultural Arts Center has been home to many monumental businesses of our community. Now we are happy to share the history of our organization and physical location with this small town, while serving up a big-city feel and quality of art!

The History of the Yadkin Cultural Arts Center Building

Mid-20th Century

The primary Yadkin Cultural Arts Center building on East Main Street was constructed in the mid-20th century for the Adams Motor Company. Just imagine the classic Dodge and Plymouth automobiles that were actually displayed in the showroom in the front of the building! Currently, the front of the building houses The Center Bistro and our classroom facilities.

The Adams’ Parts Department

The Adams’ Parts Department was once located in the back of the building, where you can now find our 193-seat Willingham Theater. The building was the first in downtown Yadkinville to have steel arches supporting the roof, so we made sure that these arches were still visible in the exposed ceiling of The Center Bistro and the Wellborn Gallery.

In The Late 60s...

In those days, East Main Street was still US Hwy 421, the main way from Greensboro to Boone. However, in the late 60s, the new US Highway 421 was constructed 2 miles west of Main Street and Adams Motor moved to Winston-Salem.

Finding New Meanings

After its days as a dealership. The building was repurposed as a roller rink, a marble kitchen/bath fixture manufacturing facility, and Whiff’s Barbecue Restaurant. The current artist studios in the YARD were originally concrete bays for washing cars. It’s crazy to picture this facility being anything but the creative hub of Yadkin County, but it has served many purposes throughout its rich history!
Yadkin Arts - History image

A New Home for Arts in Yadkin County

It wasn’t until 2002 that we acquired the 10,000 square foot building that our President of the Board, John Willingham, envisioned as the potential home for arts and education in Yadkin County. To make this happen, the building was completely gutted and renovated in two phases in 2010 and 2012.

Aim for the Mark

Wall Murals

In this way, the Yadkin Cultural Arts Center remains eternally tied to the past and future of Yadkin County. Visit us and see for yourself!