On March 25, the Alabama State Council on the Arts (ASCA) awarded the Lincoln Theatre a $56,300 Creative Places Arts Facilities grant for the renovation of the 77-year-old venue. The renovation is led by The Holland Project, a non-profit founded by the family of acclaimed actor and Bessemer native André Holland.

About the Lincoln Theatre

Photo courtesy of Birmingham Public Library Archives.
The Lincoln was at the center of a Black entertainment district that included beauty and barber shops, pool halls, and cafes. This photo from the Jefferson County Board of Equalization was taken in 1948, when First Avenue North was occupied by thriving black businesses. — This photo, taken in 1948, shows the Lincoln Theatre when it was at the center of a Black entertainment district in Bessemer. (Birmingham Public Library Archives)

Located in downtown Bessemer, the Lincoln Theatre was opened in 1948 as a 400-seat “picture house,” showing first-run movies for African-American audiences prohibited from other theatres in Birmingham and Bessemer. A popular destination for decades, many Bessemer residents—like Mary and Donald Holland—still remember seeing movies at the Lincoln as teenagers.

Although the Lincoln closed in the late 1970s, the historic theatre and its iconic teal- and white-tile facade made an impression on Mary and Donald’s son, André Holland. André—who has acted in a dozen films, including the Oscar-winning “Moonlight”—purchased the building in 2017 with a vision to reopen it as a single-screen cinema and community arts hub.

“It always felt a shame to me that I had to go outside of Bessemer, outside of the immediate community, in order to access the arts.

I want to create a space where young people can explore their interests in the arts.”
André Holland, The Holland Project

To bring his vision to life, André and his family founded The Holland Project, a 501c3 nonprofit organization dedicated to preserving, restoring and repurposing historic buildings in Bessemer.

“I often describe Bessemer as an arts desert. But I believe if young people had more exposure to the arts, it would create more dialogue. I think that the Lincoln could rejuvenate the entire downtown area.

Part of André’s vision is about what he can bring to Bessemer through art and artists from around the world.”
Mary Holland, The Holland Project

ASCA awards $56,300 grant for renovation of Lincoln Theatre

In late March, the Alabama State Council on the Arts (ASCA) awarded 64 grants totaling $2,528,000 to nonprofit arts organizations across the state—including the Lincoln Theatre. The $56,300 Creative Places Arts Facilities grant will finance the first phase of a five-phase design plan for the historic venue, including the completion of:

Floor plans
Elevations
Other drawings necessary to apply for building permits

The Creative Places grant is the second time ASCA has provided major support for The Holland Project; in 2019, the ASCA awarded a design grant that allowed the organization to engage Birmingham’s Studio 2H Design as the architecture firm for the Lincoln.

Learn more about the Lincoln Theatre on the website and on our previous articles:

Want to help out with the restoration of the Lincoln Theatre? Follow the Lincoln Theatre on Facebook to be notified about upcoming volunteer opportunities. Tag us @bhamnow to let us know!