Greensboro Arts & Reuse: A History
In 2015, Paige Cox, a Greensboro artist and environmental advocate, attended a 4-day Boot Camp led by Scrap Exchange, a creative reuse center in Durham, NC. The conference provided Paige with the expertise and best practices to open a creative reuse center in Greensboro, NC. Thanks to a SPARK grant provided by Action Greensboro, Paige created pop-up events in empty business spaces throughout downtown Greensboro. The events also included a maker’s lab. Martha Hughes-James soon joined Paige and Reconsidered Goods began to take shape. They formed a Board of Directors, added Joseph Edwards as a third co-founder, and began a search for a permanent location.
The first RG location was established in September 2016 on Patterson Street. Laura Maruzzella joined the team as the Director of Education. An event space was added with the goal of hosting events such as birthday parties, summer camps, and educational programs. Unfortunately, COVID forced the closure of this space.
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In 2020, thanks to a dedicated staff and board, RG relocated to a 15,000 square foot retail space at 4118 Spring Garden Street in the West Market Shopping Center. In September 2022, the RG Board of Directors hired Catena Bergevin as their new Executive Director, bringing over 30 years of arts administration and nonprofit management experience to the organization. Catena is leading RG to the next phase by expanding the organization’s partnership network to include more art and social service organizations, and positioning RG as a significant community leader for creative reuse in the Piedmont Triad region.
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The income we receive through retail sales and outreach programs pay for day-to-day operations (salaries, rent, utilities, etc.) and allow us to continue collecting materials and providing programming that fulfills our mission. The remaining income is generated through community grants and cash donations which further our arts, education, and environmental endeavors.
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Please consider supporting Reconsidered Goods and help us care for our community.
