COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- A more than 100-year-old Franklinton building could soon be home to a new show space for the Columbus Association for the Performing Arts.
The association is working with the city of Columbus to begin operating a performance venue inside the Idea Foundry at 421 W. State St. in Franklinton. The city, which purchased the building for $5 million in December, said the collaboration "represents a unique opportunity to reimagine the space as a multidisciplinary cultural venue" and strengthen "Franklinton's identity as a center for innovation and creativity."
"The Idea Foundry has long served as a creative anchor in Franklinton -- bringing together artists, entrepreneurs and innovators in a way that reflects the neighborhood's energy and potential," said Michael Stevens, Columbus director of development. "As this area continues to evolve, we're excited to explore a new partnership that builds on that legacy."
Chad Whittington, CEO of CAPA, said the partnership ensures the foundry can sustainably operate in Franklinton as a long-term hub for artists. The collaboration means the city and the foundry's staff will work together to manage day-to-day operations, while CAPA will facilitate the performance space.
Patrons can expect "immersive entertainment" inside the new venue, with smaller audiences taking part in interactive shows utilizing an entire room rather than a stage, Whittington said. That programming could include exhibits, projection art, cabaret-style shows, magicians, comedians and more.
"This isn't about taking things that we do in our traditional theaters and just moving it over there," Whittington said. "There's a ton of what I would call 'non-traditional-type' performance or programming that we can do over there that is more artist interactive and doesn't necessarily work in a traditional theater."
Kroger proposes new Canal Winchester grocery store, gas stationWhittington said the 54,000-square-foot building will continue housing current tenants, like the Columbus Fashion Alliance. The partnership's plans also call for the construction of retail space and possibly developing the property to the west of building, currently home to the Gravity Experience Park, which was also bought by the city in December for $2.5 million.
Next steps include completing the partnership agreement this summer then testing the show space in the fall. Whittington said CAPA and the city will spend the remainder for this year integrating into the foundry's operations before launching a slate of programming in 2026.
"The ability to expand programmatically what we do and allow us to do things that we haven't done in the past, that makes this really exciting for us," said Whittington. "It's not going to happen overnight. The primary focus is to help sustain and make sure we've got a good foundation ... then we can layer on top of that over time with some performing arts activity."
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