Artivity on the Green

Artivity on the Green is a half-acre public art park in downtown Winston-Salem, NC — the city’s first art-themed public park, opened in May 2015 as a genuinely distinctive addition to Winston-Salem’s Downtown Arts District. Located at the front of the AFAS Group headquarters, the park connects the historic Downtown Arts District to the modern Wake Forest Innovation Quarter — bridging two of Winston-Salem’s most substantial cultural corridors.

The park’s most distinctive visual features are its 13 red “smokestack” towers — a genuine architectural tribute to Winston-Salem’s tobacco and textile industrial past — which emit clouds of water vapor during operational hours and glow with colored lighting after dark. A shining silver ribbon structure creates a unique performance shelter for live music and events, while an ever-changing mural wall rotates local artist work across the year, giving Artivity a genuinely dynamic visual identity that never looks quite the same on two visits.

Be sure to check out the YouTube video and pictures below to get a feel for Artivity on the Green before you go — or to relive the visit after.

The AFAS Group — Art for Art’s Sake and Winston-Salem’s Downtown Arts District

Artivity on the Green is the flagship public installation of The AFAS Group — short for Art for Art’s Sake — a volunteer-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization based in Winston-Salem. AFAS’s mission is straightforward and genuinely community-focused: “build, educate, and celebrate community through art.” Beyond Artivity on the Green, AFAS runs a range of Winston-Salem arts initiatives, including the Red Dog Gallery (showcasing local artists and craftspeople), the Unleashed Arts Center (youth and community arts programming), the Mannequin Shenanigans public art campaign (decorated mannequins scattered across the city), and the Archway to the Arts installation.

Artivity’s design credits reflect a genuinely collaborative NC arts-and-construction ecosystem. The park was designed by STITCH Design Shop, built by Frank L. Blum Construction Company, and funded by the Thomas J. Regan Jr. Foundation. Construction started in December 2014, and the ribbon-cutting ceremony took place on May 9, 2015 — a date that also marks the 102nd anniversary of Winston-Salem’s founding through the 1913 Winston-Salem merger.

Under the leadership of AFAS Chairman and CEO Harry Knabb — a native New Yorker who relocated to NC to work for Hanesbrands and has led AFAS since its founding — Artivity has expanded the Downtown Arts District’s footprint and helped connect it to the modern Wake Forest Innovation Quarter — bringing energy and public arts programming to a section of downtown that had previously been under-activated.

Park Features — 13 Smokestacks, Silver Ribbons, and Ever-Changing Murals

The 13 red “smokestack” towers are the park’s most immediately recognizable feature. Designed as an architectural tribute to Winston-Salem’s tobacco and textile manufacturing past, the towers stand across the half-acre greenspace and function as active installations — emitting clouds of water vapor (“misting”) during operational hours and illuminated with colored lighting at night. That combination gives Artivity a genuinely different visual character during the day (misting industrial tribute) versus at night (glowing sculptural landscape).

The park’s silver ribbon performance shelter creates the bandstand and event space — with shining steel ribbons woven together to form a distinctive covered stage area for live music, poetry readings, and community events. The ever-changing mural wall rotates local artists’ work throughout the year, giving Artivity a genuinely dynamic visual identity that reflects the AFAS Group’s mission of platforming local artists.

The remaining park design includes rolling grassy hills, winding sidewalks adorned with red lines that trace paths across the greenspace, large sculptures and benches, and additional public art installations scattered throughout the property. That combination of natural greenspace + industrial-tribute architecture + rotating public art gives Artivity a genuinely distinctive identity that stands apart from typical downtown public parks.

Community Programming — Art Markets, Live Music, and Festivals

Artivity’s programming calendar is anchored by the AFAS Group’s substantial year-round community arts engagement. Free art markets hosted by AFAS bring up to 20 local artists to the park on Saturdays — selling paintings, pottery, jewelry, sculpture, and other original work. Free live music on Friday evenings extends the park’s programming into weekend nights, giving downtown Winston-Salem visitors a genuinely accessible outdoor arts destination.

The park also hosts monthly arts and music festivals, free public concerts, and rotating art festivals throughout the warmer months. Local food trucks rotate through the space during major events, giving visitors a full arts-plus-food combination without requiring separate stops.

AFAS’s programming approach is genuinely accessible by design — most events at Artivity are free and open to the general public of all ages, reflecting the nonprofit’s mission of making art broadly accessible rather than limiting it to gallery visitors or paying customers.

Good to Know

• Location: 630 North Liberty Street, Winston-Salem, NC 27101
• Size: Half-acre public art park
• Regional distinction: Winston-Salem’s first art-themed public park
• Opened: May 9, 2015 (construction started December 2014)
• Location context: In the Downtown Arts District; connects the Arts District to the Wake Forest Innovation Quarter; located directly in front of the AFAS Group headquarters building
• Operating organization: The AFAS Group (Art for Art’s Sake) — a volunteer-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit; mission is to “build, educate, and celebrate community through art”
• Design credits: Designed by STITCH Design Shop; built by Frank L. Blum Construction Company; funded by the Thomas J. Regan Jr. Foundation
• Signature features:
• 13 red “smokestack” towers (architectural tribute to Winston-Salem’s tobacco and textile industrial past); emit clouds of water vapor during operational hours; illuminated with colored lighting at night
• Silver ribbon performance shelter (steel ribbon bandstand structure)
• Ever-changing mural wall (rotating local artist work)
• Rolling grassy hills, winding sidewalks with red lines, large sculptures, and benches
• Community programming: Free art markets on Saturdays (up to 20 local AFAS artists selling original work); free live music on Friday evenings; monthly arts and music festivals; free public concerts; art festivals; rotating local food trucks during events
• AFAS Group’s other Winston-Salem arts initiatives: Red Dog Gallery (local artist showcase); Unleashed Arts Center (youth and community arts programs); Mannequin Shenanigans (decorated mannequin public art campaign); Archway to the Arts installation
• Admission: Free (most events open to the public of all ages)
• Hours: Public park open throughout the day; check the AFAS Group website for current event schedules
• Best for: Art enthusiasts, families with children (family-friendly programming), photographers (highly Instagram-friendly with the smokestack towers and mural wall), Winston-Salem locals looking for downtown weekend events, and visitors exploring the Downtown Arts District and Innovation Quarter
• Pair with: The full Winston-Salem attractions cluster; a natural Downtown Arts District walking pattern combining Artivity with the Wake Forest Innovation Quarter at Bailey Park and the Bailey Power Plant; the NC Museum of Art – Winston-Salem for additional contemporary art context; or Winston-Salem’s flagship museums, including the Reynolda House Museum of American Art and Old Salem Museums & Gardens

A Winston-Salem Highlight

Artivity on the Green is the kind of stop that stays with you for the sheer editorial cohesion of the design vision. Between the 13 red “smokestack” towers (an architectural tribute to Winston-Salem’s tobacco and textile industrial heritage), the silver ribbon performance shelter, the ever-changing mural wall, and the genuinely thoughtful integration of natural greenspace with public art installations, Artivity represents a substantive downtown public park that anchors Winston-Salem’s Downtown Arts District identity.

The AFAS Group community programming rounds out the appeal. Between the free Saturday art markets platforming local Winston-Salem artists, the free Friday night live music, the monthly arts and music festivals, and the rotating food trucks that turn the park into a genuine community gathering space, Artivity operates as more than just a public art installation — it functions as a genuine cultural anchor for the downtown arts community.

Combined with the location connecting the Downtown Arts District to the Wake Forest Innovation Quarter, Artivity on the Green has become one of the most consistently rewarding downtown public art destinations anywhere in the greater Forsyth County / Piedmont Triad region — and a genuine anchor of Winston-Salem’s contemporary arts landscape alongside the NC Museum of Art – Winston-Salem and the broader Downtown Arts District mural and public art network.

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Resources

Art for Art’s Sake Artivity on the Green Webpage

Artivity on the Green Facebook

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Location

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Social Media

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