Lack of performance and gallery space at issue in tonight's meeting

The recently formed Charleston Arts Coalition will hold a panel discussion tonight to talk about the lack of affordable space for the performing and visual arts in downtown Charleston.

The Arts Coalition, formed at a meeting held at Redux Contemporary Art Center in April, consists of visual artists, gallery owners, musicians and theater directors.

One example of this problem occurred in January: Pure Theatre had to leave its home of five years because the Cigar Factory, which was also the home to the Charleston Symphony Orchestra offices and to visual artists, is being turned into condominiums. Pure Theatre is still homeless and is currently performing in churches.

Seth Curio, director of the Redux Art Center, said the roundtable discussion will focus upon a way to locate and modify real estate in order to create a space for the presentation of artistic endeavors, with a long-range goal of developing a People's Art Center with multiple uses.

Tonight's panel of urban planners, developers and artists will include Chris Price of PrimeSouth Group, Tripp Muldrow of Arnett Muldrow & Associates, Fred Delk of Columbia Development Corp. and Jonathan Brilliant, who will represent the Gibbes Museum of Art.

For more on this story, see tomorrow's Post and Courier.