The Arts Council of Greater Baton Rouge will unveil its long-planned Cary Saurage Community Arts Center to the public Sept. 30.
The revamped, 12,000-square-foot building at 233 St. Ferdinand St. downtown—formerly known as the Triangle Building—will double as the new home for the Arts Council and as an affordable space where local artists can work and collaborate. It will feature an arts education center; a two-story, open exhibition gallery; accessible spaces for rehearsals, meetings, classes and conferences; and an outdoor rooftop terrace to allow for community gatherings.
The facility will also include open studio spaces, a black box studio and an audio-visual studio, all where local artists can create demos, rehearse new works or show works in progress.
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Construction crews began working on the $2.5 million project in December 2019. It’s been funded entirely through private funds and grants, says Renee Chatelain, president of the Arts Council. The organization is moving into its new headquarters in mid-July prior to the grand opening event, Chatelain adds.
The premiere event, MPAC—which stands for Music, Performance, Art, Community—will showcase visual artists, musicians and makers, as well as culinary and performing artists while introducing guests to the new center.
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MPAC was launched as an annual event for 225 and inRegister back in 2014, before the Arts Council took it over in 2016 (225 and inRegister are now sponsors of the event). In its latest iteration, MPAC will introduce the public to the Cary Saurage Community Arts Center while also showcasing visual and performing artists throughout the evening. Event guests can browse the center’s state-of-the art amenities while mingling with and watching presentations by local creatives.
Tickets for the MPAC event will go on sale at artsbr.org in July. Limited community sponsorships are available.
A version of this story originally appeared in a May 25 edition of Daily Report. To keep up with Baton Rouge business and politics, subscribe to the free Daily Report e-newsletter here.