The Foundry

Located at Durham Central Park, Liberty Arts Foundry, is the only non-profit casting facility on the East Coast.

George Watts Hill (1901-1993) was a leading figure in the city of Durham: a city councilman, chairman of Central Carolina Bank, a philanthropist, an instrumental figure in the creation of Research Triangle Park and a patron of the Arts. In 2003, Central Carolina Bank donated the majority of the necessary funds to Liberty Arts in his name and the City of Durham donated the land and the commitment to develop Durham Central Park around the pavilion hereby providing much needed revitalization to the Downtown area, with Major the Bull as the central landmark and a symbol of Durham.

Frank DePasquale, a close friend to George Watts Hill, designed the Liberty Arts Pavilion pro bono.  The late Francis Vega of Vega Metals designed the elaborate open-air panels to allow the public viewing of the casting process. Frank DePasquale was an eminent architect in Durham who was known for designing the Hayti Center and the Durham Arts Council Building amongst many others. Francis Vega had established Vega Metals together with his friend and fellow artist-blacksmith Neal Carlton in 1987. Both men had won numerous awards for their artwork; their gates, sculptures and benches can be seen throughout the Triangle area and the United States.

The construction of the George Watts Hill Pavilion began in 2002 and in 2003, the pavilion was gifted to the City of Durham by Liberty Arts.

Today you can find Liberty Artists at the foundry pouring bronze and aluminum into sand molds, or set up outside selling artwork on Saturdays during the Farmers Market. In the fall, the foundry is open to students during scratch block workshops as we prepare for our annual Iron Pour.