Peninsula Fine Arts Center facts for kids

The Peninsula Fine Arts Center (Pfac) was an art center located in Newport News, Virginia. It was connected with the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts. The center was last found at 101 Museum Drive, near the Mariners' Museum. It was recognized by the American Alliance of Museums (AAM). A group of art lovers in Hampton Roads started it in 1962. Back then, it was called the Peninsula Arts Association (PAA). Its first official show in 1962 featured a traveling art exhibit from the Virginia Museum. Pfac was one of only a few art centers that didn't collect art but still earned AAM accreditation.

Early Days: Starting an Art Center

The Peninsula Arts Association (PAA) first started in downtown Newport News. It was in the old John W. Daniel public school building. This was also where the first Christopher Newport College was located. The very first official art show happened in 1962. Before they had a proper building, the founders even showed art by hanging it on clotheslines in their backyards!

In 1964, the PAA moved to the new campus of Christopher Newport College. Later, it moved again to Hilton Village and then to the Newmarket South Shopping Center. If there were very large art shows, they would be held at the Mariners’ Museum.

A New Home for Art

A big change happened in 1975 when Newport News Shipbuilding gave the PAA a special gift. They donated their old hydraulics testing laboratory. This building was on two acres of land in Mariners’ Museum Park. It was right across from the Mariners’ Museum. After a lot of work and help from the community, the PAA opened its new doors on November 5, 1978.

More changes were made to the building. Upstairs, studios were created for the Art Magnet Program. This program was for talented students from the Newport News Public School System. It gave them a chance to grow their artistic skills. This idea of teaching art later grew into workshops for many students.

Growing Bigger: New Name and More Space

In 1983, the PAA officially changed its name to the Peninsula Fine Arts Center. It also became an official partner of the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts. As the Center became more well-known, a man named David L. Peebles led a project in 1985. His goal was to raise $1.5 million to build a new part for Pfac.

With help from both private groups and the public, they successfully raised the money. The ground-breaking ceremony for the new addition happened on March 14, 1988. An architect from Williamsburg, VA, Carlton Abbott, designed the new building.

More Room for Art and Learning

The expansion made the exhibition space three times bigger! It also added a proper entrance, classrooms, and areas for workshops. The new space had better security, was easy for everyone to access, and had good temperature and air control. The usable space grew from 4,000 square feet to over 15,000 square feet. It included three main galleries, a hallway gallery, a video gallery, four art classrooms, and a meeting room.

The grand opening of the expanded Fine Arts Center was held on the weekend of April 30, 1989. In 1993, the Center earned a special recognition. It became accredited by the American Alliance of Museums. This showed that Pfac met high standards for museums and art centers.

Celebrating 50 Years and a New Chapter

The Center celebrated its 50th birthday in 2012 with several special art shows. One show was called "Art and the Animal." Another show, "The Artists: Who We Are Past and Present," celebrated local artists. These were artists who had taught or shown their work at Pfac before. This show also included a photo exhibit about the history of the Center and the Virginia Peninsula. In the summer, Pfac held its well-known "Biennial" exhibition. The anniversary year ended with a show called "50 Great American Artists."

In 2013, Pfac agreed to join with Christopher Newport University. The University officially closed the Peninsula Fine Arts Center on December 31, 2020. Pfac's special accreditation from the AAM was then given to the university's new art center. Courtney Gardner was the last Executive Director of Pfac. Today, the Mary M. Torggler Fine Arts Center at CNU continues the legacy of the Peninsula Fine Arts Center.