Housed in a renovated 90-year-old building located at 214 Burgess Street in downtown Fayetteville, ArtsXL does exactly what its name implies – it accelerates creative work and provides space for artists and arts organizations to excel.  

“In 1976, this was the space they originally wanted to move the Arts Council, and it just didn't happen. And so when the opportunity came up to expand the mission and have this space…we, the board, chose to jump at the opportunity,” shared Arts Council Facility Manager Chris Walker. 

ArtsXL spans roughly 6,670 square feet across two floors, with a mix of conference and multi-purpose rooms, open cubicle areas, offices, storage, and a main performance space. The design emphasizes flexibility. Nonprofits without permanent facilities can reserve rooms for meetings, small events, auditions, rehearsals, and administrative work. The Arts Council also retains access when it needs additional conference or work space beyond its primary building.

Several arts organizations are already settled in the new space. Fayetteville Symphony Orchestra has moved in fully and maintains regular business hours in the building, Cumberland Choral Arts uses portions of the space for storage and a cubicle upstairs and Sweet Tea Shakespeare is currently holding performances of Sense and Sensibility in the main theater. 

Substantial renovations were necessary to make the building welcoming and functional. The layout now supports accessible circulation, expanded restrooms, and a reimagined upstairs gallery and cubicle level that can serve as storage, seating, or technical space depending on the event.

The theater features floor-level seating and a balcony, for a total capacity of around 150. The space can be adapted for everything from intimate chamber performances and lectures to flexible ensemble arrangements and plays with large casts.

“Between the accessibility of our building being over there [down the street], the additional performance space, office space, and also just being central to downtown as everything is being revitalized, it just felt like the right time to jump on. And it felt in line with the mission,” shared Miles.

Beyond performances, ArtsXL is becoming a place for capacity-building. The Arts Council has introduced a creative impact cohort for individual artists and small organizations, members of which will use the space for workshops, gatherings and professional development. 

Use of the building is intentionally mission-driven rather than commercial. Rentals are focused on cultural and community arts activities rather than private parties. Costs for nonprofits are kept low, currently centered on required security staffing with modest additional fees anticipated for maintenance and custodial needs.

The Arts Council is hosting a community open house on Feb. 5 from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. for people to walk around the new ArtsXL space and learn more about it.

To find out more about the Arts Council of Fayetteville/Cumberland County visit https://www.theartscouncil.com/.