Enlarge Caleb Fadel admiring the art at the FFTC open house

Posted: December 12th, 2011 Tonya Jameson

CORRECTION:  FOUNDATION FOR THE CAROLINAS ART GALLERIES ARE OPEN TO THE PUBLIC FROM 10:00am-5pm MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY.  We originally stated in this article that the galleries were also open on weekends, which is INCORRECT.  Crossroads Charlotte apologizes for the mistake.

The New South. A world-class city. A progressive city. Those are the phrases we use to describe Charlotte. Those are the adjectives to which we aspire.

On Saturday, visitors at the Foundation For the Carolinas grand opening got a chance to see a physical manifestation of our collective aspirations. The FFTC opened the doors of its new headquarters to the public and gave us a glimpse of class – world class.

The 80,000 square foot building is gorgeous. It’s not just the 360 pieces of colorful art that adorn the walls and display cases of the building; it’s also the attitude. The headquarters isn’t just for the people who work at the foundation – it’s for the people.
 
The facility will be open and accessible for the public to visit the gallery on weekdays and it will also be available for the non-profits to use as meeting space.

“This is a place that is free of charge,” said Michael Marsicano, FFTC president. “We hope people will come often and use the spaces to collaborate with different non-profits, donors and elected officials. It’s kind of going to be a hub for creative thought.”

Visitors Bill and Lisi Szymczyk were amazed by the artwork, but they were stunned to hear that FFTC will be open to non-profits. The Szymczyks were two of the more than 500 people who drifted through the building on Saturday.

The newly remodeled building, formerly the Mint Museum of Craft + Design, reopened as the FFTC’s headquarters earlier this year but it was unveiled to the public on Saturday. The 80,000 square foot building has a classroom, event space and two rooftop terraces.

Judith Perry attended the opening with four friends after a late lunch. They challenged each other to find one piece of artwork they would buy if they could afford it.

“We’re just loving it,” said Perry, marveling at a glass sculpture. “It’s just breathtaking.”

The art collection contains works by 79 artists ranging from portraits, paintings, glass and bronze sculptures.  Many of the portraits and sculptures are tributes to key city leaders and philanthropists. FFTC’s 17 board and conference rooms are also dedicated to visionaries such as the Levines, Harvey Gantt and Cathy Bessant.

Marsicano said the foundation’s leadership chose to highlight living leaders to pay tribute to how they have built Charlotte.

“We have a great tradition of philanthropy in this community,” he said. “The next generation, it’s really time for them to step to the plate.”

Judging from the FFTC’s new headquarters and for that matter the entire transformation of uptown in the last couple of years, the next generation has big shoes to fill.

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