Foundation Provides $75,000 Bridge Loan for Shotgun House Project

The Winston-Salem Foundation is pleased to announce a $75,000 bridge loan to Triad Cultural Arts for the restoration of a historic shotgun house in the Happy Hill neighborhood.

Triad Cultural Arts (TCA) will reimagine the shotgun house as a museum and exhibit space that celebrates and honors African American culture in Winston-Salem. This investment will also help propel the completion of the Shotgun House Legacy Site, a multi-phase project which will include a multi-use community center and pavilion. TCA has begun a capital campaign to support this project; visit shotgunhousews.org to learn more or make a contribution.

Triad Cultural Arts has been a driving force in celebrating and preserving African American heritage and culture in the Winston-Salem area since 2007.

Through events, education, and cultural programming, TCA fosters greater appreciation for African American history and contributions. Their signature event, the Juneteenth Festival, draws over 10,000 attendees annually, showcasing art, history, and performances. The organization also conducts Black heritage tours, exhibits, and lectures that highlight the African American experience in the Triad, with a particular focus on promoting cultural understanding and community engagement.

Abrea Armstrong, Executive Director of Triad Cultural Arts, says:

“The Foundation’s investment transformed this restoration initiative from a long-held ambition into a concrete plan, turning a 15-year-old dream into a turnkey project. Many organizations find themselves nearly at the finish line but need help in the final stretch. This bridge loan ensures we can start generating income from our heritage tours, allowing us to grow and enhance our impact on equitably preserving and sharing Black history.”

A Different Way of Investing

The investment in Triad Cultural Arts is part of The Winston-Salem Foundation’s impact investment program, which leverages the corpus of the Foundation’s endowments to invest in businesses and organizations working for social change in Forsyth County. Unlike traditional grantmaking, impact investments provide not only a social return, but also a financial return that can be reinvested in the community. This program complements and supports the Foundation’s goal of building an inclusive economy.

LaTida Smith, president of The Winston-Salem Foundation, notes:

“Supporting the Shotgun House Project aligns perfectly with the Foundation’s mission of fostering inclusive community growth and preserving important cultural narratives. This investment not only honors the historical significance of the Happy Hill neighborhood but also promotes local economic development."

Research and insights from the Foundation's Undesign the Redline exhibit, the Black Philanthropy Initiative’s Intersectionality of Black Life and Being report, and The Women’s Fund of Winston-Salem's Through A Gender Lens report show that systemic barriers have led to the gender and racial disparities we see in our community today. As a funder, the Foundation also recognizes the challenges faced by organizations that are smaller or led by people of color in securing funding. Through its impact investment program, the Foundation seeks to change this dynamic and fund organizations and businesses using an equity lens.

About Triad Cultural Arts

Triad Cultural Arts is a nonprofit organization committed to preserving and promoting African American history and culture in the Triad region. Through events, educational programs, and community initiatives, TCA works to foster cultural appreciation, understanding, and engagement, helping to highlight the richness of African American heritage in the local area. For more information, visit triadculturalarts.org.

About The Winston-Salem Foundation

The Winston-Salem Foundation strengthens Forsyth County by inspiring giving and linking resources to action. For more than 100 years, the Foundation has partnered with generous community members to build a better future by providing grants and scholarships to nonprofits, students, and educators. The Foundation ended 2023 with almost $662 million in assets and more than $82 million in total grantmaking.