ALLOW US TO REINTRODUCE THE

The NCMA and the Southeastern Center for Contemporary Art (SECCA) in Winston-Salem have officially been affiliated since 2007, but deeper connections have tied the organizations together for decades. Nestled on SECCA’s scenic grounds stands a 1929 English-style mansion that once belonged to James G. Hanes. The name Hanes may ring familiar to many North Carolinians thanks to the family’s storied textile history, but the Hanes family also made significant contributions in building the foundation of the People’s Collection of art at the NCMA in the early 20th century.

Since 1977 the historic Hanes House at SECCA has welcomed visitors into its wood-paneled rooms for warm conversations, dinner parties, and familial gatherings. Built in 1929 as the country home of textile industrialist and civic leader James G. Hanes (1886–1972), the Hanes House became the unlikely home of SECCA, or the WinstonSalem Gallery of Fine Arts as it was originally named, when Hanes bequeathed the house and grounds to the gallery upon his death in 1972.

Now, nearly a century after the home’s construction, the Hanes House enters a new phase of life. In recent months visitors have watched the building transform as the SECCA team reimagines how the home and surrounding grounds can serve today’s audiences.

While the historic elements remain the same—hand-carved crown molding, marble fireplaces, vintage French wallpaper—fresh furnishings and lighting now greet visitors. Furniture selections include mid-century

philip pledger Director of Marketing, SECCA

modern icons and works by emerging contemporary designers, an amalgam of the historic and the cutting-edge.

The new energy at the Hanes House runs deeper than beautiful furniture, however. As with everything that SECCA does, the substance of our mission can be found in our programming, the ways we bring our spaces to life. The legacy of the Hanes House won’t be found in its history or architecture but in the ways we use it to reach new audiences, create memorable experiences, and tell stories with diverse perspectives.

This spring a series of fireside artist talks brought new warmth to the living room, and a monthly series of social gatherings with local chefs and DJs brought vibrance to the Hanes House terrace. Where the historic home once sat dormant, visitors now encounter a welcoming, unexpected, and occasionally whimsical place for connection and inspiration.

Looking forward, plans for a café and retail space in the Hanes House move closer to realization, adding a whole new facet to the visitor experience at SECCA. If the galleries are for discoveries and revelations, then the house is for reflection and imagination. We hope longtime supporters and newcomers alike will join us this year as we transform the Hanes House into a welcoming space where new memories are woven together like a pair of seamless Hanes stockings.

The Hanes House and SECCA are located at 750 Marguerite Drive in Winston-Salem. Learn more at haneshouse.com and view exhibition and program information at SECCA.org.