A Threshold for Culture, Memory, and Sound

What if a historic church could become the cultural heart of the Third Ward—welcoming, evolving, and tuned to the rhythm of a community’s future?

The Wesley AME Cultural Arts Center is conceived as a transformation—not just of space, but of purpose. Once a sacred sanctuary at the intersection of Emancipation Avenue and Webster Street, the historic brick church is reimagined as a vibrant cultural destination: a place where gospel music, performance, visual arts, and public dialogue converge.

The design begins with an architectural threshold—a transparent glass portal and cantilevered canopy that create a luminous entry from Emancipation Avenue. This new facade does not conceal the past—it frames it. Preserving the integrity of the existing structure, the intervention respects what was while making space for what’s next. A sculptural ADA ramp and open reception foyer establish the building as a space of access, interaction, and return.

Inside, the ground floor is fully reconfigured to host a community flex space, gospel music museum, and archival gallery—with immersive audio-visual storytelling woven into the walls, floors, and ceilings. Patrons can listen to the voices of gospel greats, record their own, and move through exhibitions that honor both spiritual and cultural legacies. A custom tile motif, inspired by fellowship and collective memory, grounds the design with rhythm and repetition.

The upper level reveals a reimagined performance arts space—not a black box, but a brick-and-light box. Tiered seating is carved into the volume, creating intimate sightlines and a dynamic acoustic shell that embraces the original rose windows and textured masonry. A new two-story pre-function area invites artists and audiences to connect before stepping into the experience.

The Wesley AME Cultural Arts Center is more than a venue. It is a platform for possibility—where exhibitions, performance, and community practice form a cultural commons for the Third Ward and the city at large. A place to remember. A place to rejoice. A place to rise.