New Bern Arts & Wellness Center

About

Arts - Yoga - Culture - Community - Wellness

Story

The New Bern Arts & Wellness Center is located in the critical and historic “Five Points” intersection. In years past, this intersection was a bustling commercial zone where diverse communities overlapped and interacted. The 919 Broad Street site was built in the 1940’s as the A&P Grocery store. In later years, it was the site of Piggly Wiggly and, finally, a Super 10 store. Unfortunately, the Five Points area fell into general decay and the Super 10 store was the last main commercial site to close down. Robin and Alex Frelier, downtown residents, visualized Five Points as an area of transformational opportunity, both economically and socially. They acquired 919 Broad Street in 2015 with the goal of creating a venue where the community could access arts and wellness activities. The enthusiasm to develop the New Bern Arts & Wellness Center was often tempered by the difficulties and costs encountered along the way, but it was also fueled by a growing community of volunteers who cheered the effort on and who worked, and continue to work, alongside the founders to make the Center a reality.
Today, just about two years from the purchase of 919 Broad Street, the New Bern Arts and Wellness Center continues to grow in its reach and evolve in its purpose. The ceramics center has provided dozens of classes and frequent kiln firings reveal the growing potential of the Center’s pottery community. The wellness center offers Yoga, Tai Chi and other specialty workshops and, also, is a choice venue for specialty programs such as Yoga for Cancer Patients thanks to the unique soft-mat flooring. In addition, the Center offers a range of visual arts classes and is growing in the diversity of programs thanks to the talented leadership of its manager, Ms. Cait Nolan. She is particularly excited about new offerings for kids in the summer.
The Center also features art spaces where artists can both work in community and have a venue to display their work. This will be the Center’s primary growth area as it builds its resident artist community. Artists have access to the hospitality area and can make themselves at home with access to wi-fi and meeting space. A new “gallery” brings work into focus for visitors and allows resident artists to sell their work to the public.
The New Bern Arts & Wellness Center has been a labor of love for its founders rewarded by the friendship and support of an amazing and growing group of volunteers and artists: the heart of the Center belongs to their generous and unwavering presence!