History

An Arts Center has been a dream for many in Chesterfield County for many years. First proposed in the 1980’s as an arts center adjacent to the Chesterfield County Main Library, the concept of a community gathering place shifted to Chester with the design of the Chester Village Green as a planned community that included a new library branch. Many felt that an arts center would “complete the picture” of the Village Green. Based on the concept of “New Urbanism,” Chester Village Green became the cornerstone of the l989 Land Use Plan for Chester, blending the old with the new to restore functionality and sustainability to the historic village of Chester.

In the early l990’s a committee of citizens formed to review the Chester Village Plan. The plan included a new library and arts complex that were to be built through a bond referendum. But, in 1996 the project was split into two phases, the first to finance the purchase of land for the two facilities and the construction of only the library building. The second phase would be the financing and construction of the arts center. With the passage of the first bond referendum, the library was built and the land was purchased for the future arts center.

Because of a concern with the implementation of the l989 Chester Village Plan, as amended 2000, a group of citizens formed the Chester Community Association in 2001. An arts center committee was established in response to one of the Association’s long range goals: find the funds to build the arts center. It became an independent 501 (c) (3) non profit Virginia corporation in 2003 to position itself as a fundraiser for the facility and named itself the Chesterfield Center for the Arts at Chester Foundation. In 2004 Chesterfield County citizens approved a second bond referendum specifying $5.9M for the Art Center, now $6.9M. The community was challenged to match the County’s money with private donations raised to meet a target construction date of 2010.

The Chesterfield Center for the Arts at Chester Foundation accepted the challenge. Professional arts consultants were hired to do feasibility studies, a market needs assessment, and business plans. It partnered with the county in an architectural review of the l995 arts center project. A professional consultant was hired to complete the case statement and capital campaign plan which gave a feasible estimate of community support. A strong partnership with the County was formalized in a Letter of Understanding in 2007.

The decision to simplify the name of the Foundation was approved recently. It is now the Chesterfield Center for the Arts Foundation.