HISTORY

THE ART OF NOW SINCE 1956

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  NCMA Winston-Salem (formerly SECCA) opened in 1956 as a non-profit visual arts organization in Winston-Salem, NC in response to a community and regional need for exhibition space devoted to work by area artists. By 1972, when industrialist James G. Hanes willed his 32-acre estate to the gallery, its scope included all 11 southeastern states. Renovation of Hanes’ English Hunt-Style mansion, as well as the construction of an 8,896 square foot gallery addition and receiving area, was completed in 1976.

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  NCMA Winston-Salem entered its second phase of growth in 1990 with the addition of the new 24,500 sqft addition. With the completion of this space, the organization’s vision was changed to a national focus on exhibiting the work of the country’s major contemporary artists while preserving a commitment to southeastern artists. The 300-seat auditorium enables the center to expand the scope and quality of its programs, which offer the community access to music, dance and film as well as talks on contemporary art issues.

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  NCMA Winston-Salem became an affiliate of the North Carolina Museum of Art and a division of the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources in 2007. In 2024, the NC State Assembly appropriated $15 million for capital projects at NCMA Winston-Salem, which are currently underway. The renovations will touch almost every part of the buildings and grounds, making them more accessible, sustainable, and flexible.