History of LHUCA

The mission of LHUCA is to inspire and enrich our community by being a catalyst for the arts. LHUCA began as a dream of our founder, Louise Hopkins Underwood, whose spirit and love for the arts moved like the West Texas winds across a culturally barren landscape, building a regional fine arts center that engages people of all ages and of all walks of life.

Founded in 1997, this center was established by Mrs. Underwood and a core group of forward-thinking individuals. They possessed a clear understanding of the relationships between accessible cultural experiences and educational opportunities to enhance the quality of life in our region. In 2000 the City of Lubbock deeded over the vacated Fire Department Administration Building in alignment with the City’s goal to create an arts and entertainment district. This gift allowed LHUCA to open its doors with a goal to encourage the arts in West Texas in every way possible. In the past decade LHUCA has transformed the community’s appreciation for art and culture as demonstrated by audience growth and individual support.

Over the course of fifteen years, LHUCA has grown from its initial firehouse building to a sprawling four block campus of nine buildings, totaling 64,000 square feet which are dedicated to the advancement of the arts. Five buildings are owned by LHUCA and four are owned by CASP, the Charles Adams Studio Project. Both non-profit entities work in tandem for the development and education of our region’s cultural profile. LHUCA anchors the north corridor of downtown Lubbock in the heart of the recently formed Lubbock Cultural District. Campus renovation supporting year-round cultural activities now serves as a major contributor to the City of Lubbock’s downtown revitalization efforts. The campus has brought life to downtown Lubbock and fuels economic growth.

Using existing warehouses and former municipal buildings, LHUCA has repurposed structures to house galleries, a state-of-the-art theatre and clay studio, a rehearsal hall, event spaces, and classroom/studio spaces. LHUCA has achieved this with funding from The CH Foundation, the Helen Jones Foundation, the National Endowment for the Arts, the Texas Commission on the Arts, and other foundations and private donors. LHUCA serves more than thirty non-profit organizations by providing financial, marketing, and administrative support under the direction of our professional staff. More than 425,000 people of all ages and socioeconomic backgrounds have attended meetings, workshops, performances, rehearsals, exhibits and community-wide arts events. LHUCA is committed to growing the cultural fabric of our community, fostering cottage industries in the arts and supporting a creative workforce that is strong and thriving.