The Contemporary Art Museum of Raleigh is selling its home of nearly 15 years.
CAM announced on Monday morning its building in the Warehouse District will be put on the market after its board decided to move toward a “more nimble, more sustainable contemporary arts institution” focused on its programming and partnerships.
It said the move to sell the building will free up resources to invest in artists and programming.
More than a year ago, CAM closed its doors and put a pause on exhibitions and in-house programming. It said the cost of operating at its West Martin Street home became unsustainable.
“Today, we’re taking the next step. We’re selling our building at 409 West Martin Street. We know that’s a big sentence. So, here’s the honest version of why. The cost of operating a physical space has outpaced the support available to sustain it, a reality facing small-to-midsized museums across the country,” CAM Said. “Instead of letting a building quietly set the limits on our mission, we made a bolder choice. Selling frees our resources to go where they belong: into artists, exhibitions, programs, and the community that has always been the real heart of CAM.”
For over a decade, CAM has served as a cultural anchor in Raleigh’s Warehouse District, presenting cutting-edge exhibitions, accessible programming and community-driven education that reflect the city’s creative energy.
It’s unclear what exact shape CAM will take in the future, but its leadership said it could involve a new space with a smaller footprint.
“A year
ago, we promised Raleigh we would reimagine CAM’s future, and this is that
promise taking shape,” said Charman Driver, board chair of CAM Raleigh.
“Selling our building isn’t a step back, it’s how we step forward. It
frees us to invest in artists, ideas, and experiences instead of a mortgage,
and to design CAM’s next chapter with real freedom.”