From Stage Shows to an Arts Center: The CAM Is Growing Into Its Name
If you haven’t visited The CAM lately, you might be surprised by what you’ll find. On one evening, actors may be rehearsing for our next show on stage. A few days later, an artist may be guiding a room full of people as they put paintbrushes to canvas. By Thursday night, a band may be playing in The Courtyard while patrons gather for dinner from a local food truck. Somewhere in between, dozens of children may be singing, dancing, playing theatre games and discovering the stage for the very first time.
This is what we always hoped The CAM would become.
Theatre will always be at the heart of The CAM. The Theatre Guild of Buchanan County has spent over a decade bringing stories to life on stage, and that tradition remains the foundation of everything we do. Upon finding our home at The CAM, we began envisioning a permanent home for the arts, and the dream was bigger than producing plays.
We are truly starting to see that vision materialize and take root in 2026. The Community Arts Mainstage, The CAM, has started coming to life in ways we can actually see.
Earlier this year, our first multi-artist art show transformed portions of The CAM into gallery space while “Misery” occupied the stage, allowing two very different forms of art to share one building. Since then, local artist Debbie Jackson has brought painting and creativity into The CAM through her classes, giving community members another way to participate in the arts, no audition required.
This summer also brought the launch of our Third Thursday Summer Concert Series. The Courtyard has become a gathering place for live music, food trucks, cold drinks and summer evenings with friends. With outstanding entertainers playing their music, we’ve watched people experience The CAM in an entirely different way.
Then there was Theatre Camp. For four days in July, The CAM belonged to children. They acted, danced, played, created, made new friends and eventually took the stage for their families. For some, theatre is already familiar territory. For others, camp provided their very first experience under the stage lights. Both matter, because building an arts community also means creating a place where the next generation feels welcome to explore.
The backbone of TGBC remains the plays and musicals. The rehearsals, sets, costumes and performances fill the building throughout the year. Currently, preparations are underway for “The Beverly Hillbillies” in October, followed by “It’s a Wonderful Life” in December. Behind the scenes, we’re already planning what audiences will see in 2027.
Perhaps that is the most exciting part of what is happening at The CAM. We aren’t replacing one thing with another. We’re adding layers. A theatre can be a place where you buy a ticket and watch a show. A community arts center can be a place where you perform in one, paint a picture, hear a band, take a class, volunteer backstage, bring your children to camp, meet your friends or simply discover something you didn’t know you enjoyed.
Little by little, event by event, that is what The CAM is becoming. There is still plenty we want to add and plenty of room to grow. Today, when we look around at everything that has happened inside and outside these walls this year, one thing is clear: The CAM is growing into its name. And we’re just getting started.
Follow us on social media and visit our new and improved website at www.seeyouatthecam.com for all our latest happenings and a schedule of events. See you at The CAM.
