About Us - History

FROM CONCEPT TO CONCRETE: The Idea of an Arts Center Comes of Age

If one were to do a quick survey of the most artistic small towns in America, Herndon would almost be there. Almost, because it lacks a home for the host of fine performing and visual arts groups that call Herndon home.* In fact, the number of arts organizations represented in Herndon is disproportionate to the population size, making the Town a cultural phenomenon. It is always interesting to see how a phenomenon is born. In Herndon’s case, it was through the twin threads of the Town’s Parks and Recreation Department and the not-so-common creation of a Council for the Arts in the late ‘80’s. Add to this some old-fashioned luck; the Town had apparently gathered unto itself residents and friends with exceptional talents.

Where arts and audiences flourish, a home should follow. Herndon’s art groups include regionally recognized talents such as the Elden Street Players, which win top honors each year in the Washington metropolitan area judging of community theater. Herndon is also graced with an abundance of fine visual artists, whose works are celebrated in the Art in Public Places program. The Town Square Singers provide choral entertainment both popular and classical. And because of the superb band programs, and grant infusions for the music programs at the local high school, Herndon is also a breeding ground for enormous youthful talents. The new Herndon orchestra will offer them opportunities to ply their performance skills beyond high school.

What has not followed, until now, is the facility to house this amazing array of talent. To date, our artists have had to perform in non-professional spaces such as a converted warehouse, seldom-available school auditoriums, churches and the community center gym. The master plan for the Town’s revitalization envisioned such an arts center, and in 2002, the Town purchased land for the building. The citizen advocates reaffirmed their commitment to the project by forming a non-profit foundation to support the construction of the center.

So here we stand on the brink. We have the artists, we have the reputation, we have the land. All we need is your support to provide the resources to turn concept into concrete.

* In John Villani’s book, The 100 Best Small Arts Towns in Americ,one third of the entries include towns with Herndon’s population demographic…they have all built an arts center. Herndon’s artistic depth and range can compete with almost any town mentioned—except that we lack an arts center.