Construction Begins on L.V. Hull Legacy Center, Attala County’s First Visual Arts Facility

*Article from Arts Foundation of Kosciusko*

The Arts Foundation of Kosciusko has announced that construction has begun on the L.V. Hull Legacy Center in Kosciusko, Mississippi. Developed in honor of the late local artist L.V. Hull, the Legacy Center will be Kosciusko and Attala County’s first visual arts facility. The current phase of construction consists of the renovation of two long-vacant buildings in Kosciusko, just down the street from Hull’s home and the former location of her internationally-recognized art environment. 

“L.V. Hull left an unforgettable mark on creativity in Mississippi, as well as the rest of the country. The Arts Foundation of Kosciusko is proud to announce that, after many years of dedicated efforts that have included a wide variety of partners, funders, and friends of L.V., the L.V. Hull Legacy Center is coming to life. It will preserve her legacy by showcasing a selection of art from the Arts Foundation’s collection of more than 800 works by Hull as well as providing much needed creative opportunities for Attala County’s youth and families. We are extremely grateful to the Mississippi State Legislature and the Mississippi Arts Commission for making this work possible,” says Hollis Cheek, Arts Foundation of Kosciusko Board President.

Once completed, the two structures currently undergoing renovation will provide space for collection display, rotating exhibitions, staff offices, public programming, and a creative residency. The Legacy Center campus will also include Hull’s original home which will soon undergo preservation. The L.V. Hull Home & Studio was recently added to the National Register of Historic Places at the level of national Significance. It is the first home-studio of an African American woman visual artist to be listed at the level of National Significance and the first home of an African American art environment creator to be listed on the National Register. 

The current phase of construction is supported by the Mississippi Arts Commission’s Building Fund for the Arts and is being facilitated by award-winning, Mississippi-based architecture firm Belinda Stewart Architects in partnership with general contractor Brandon Hooks Construction. This phase is anticipated to be completed summer 2025 with the next phase of construction to begin shortly thereafter. The L.V. Hull Legacy Center campus will open to the public spring 2026 in tandem with an exhibition about Hull presented at the Mississippi Museum of Art in Jackson. 

The next phase of construction will consist of building a creative studio and renovating an existing barn into an open-air pavilion that will provide space for workshops, performances, screenings, and other community events. Fundraising for this work is ongoing, and donations can be made at www.lvhull.org/donate.

ABOUT L.V. HULL

Self-proclaimed as “ The Unusual Artist,” Hull (1942–2008) merged artmaking and the Southern art of “visiting” to transform her home into an art environment that attracted pilgrims from around the world. After purchasing the home in 1974 with wages from domestic work, she immediately adopted it as both her studio and her primary canvas, curating her space inside and out with a collection of found, purchased, and gifted objects. Her creativity extended to household fixtures, domestic items, and clothing painted with her signature dots. As one guest described, “It’s hard to tell where the art stops and L.V. begins.” After making art and welcoming visitors to the home for more than 30 years, Hull passed away in 2008. Her home has been vacant since that time but will soon be preserved by the Keysmith Foundation.

www.lvhull.org 

ABOUT THE ARTS FOUNDATION OF KOSCIUSKO

The Arts Foundation of Kosciusko is a diverse group of Kosciusko community leaders dedicated to preserving and activating the legacy of L.V. Hull through the development of the L.V. Hull Legacy Center.