CAM Raleigh is preparing to leave its longtime home in downtown Raleigh’s Warehouse District.
The Contemporary Art Museum of Raleigh announced August 3 that its building at 409 West Martin Street will be listed for sale. Museum leaders described the decision as the next step in CAM’s ongoing effort to create a more financially sustainable and flexible arts organization.
CAM paused exhibitions in June 2025 while its board evaluated the museum’s future. During the following year, board members spoke with artists, educators, community leaders, and civic partners while studying how other contemporary arts organizations across the country are adapting to rising operating costs.
“A year ago, we promised Raleigh we would reimagine CAM’s future, and this is that promise taking shape,” CAM Raleigh Board Chair Charman Driver said. “Selling our building isn’t a step back, it’s how we step forward.”
Driver said the sale would allow CAM to direct resources toward artists, creative ideas, and public experiences rather than toward the costs associated with maintaining and financing a large, permanent facility.
The museum has not announced where it will operate next. Potential options could include a smaller location, partnerships with other organizations or a new model that presents exhibitions and programs in multiple spaces throughout the community.
For 15 years, CAM’s West Martin Street building hosted contemporary art exhibitions, performances, special events and community conversations. The museum helped establish the Warehouse District as one of Raleigh’s leading cultural destinations.
CAM plans to announce additional information about upcoming programming, partnerships and its next chapter in the coming months.
