core values and hisory

Windmore was founded in the spring of 1984 as the Culpeper Chapter of the Virginia Museum. In 1988, members and the board of directors voted to rename the organization Windmore Foundation for the Arts, Inc., reflecting its growing identity as a champion for local creativity. The name “Windmore” honored a dairy farm that once stood on the site of the organization’s original amphitheater—an early symbol of how Windmore would help cultivate the arts in our community.

In August 2024, Windmore took a bold step forward by leasing and renovating the historic State Theater auditorium—transforming it into a vibrant performance and education space. This move solidified Windmore’s physical home and expanded its capacity to serve artists, students, and audiences year-round.

In April 2025, the board and membership unanimously voted to change the name to Windmore Center for the Arts, Inc.—a name that better reflects its expanded vision and dedicated home inside the heart of Culpeper.

Today, Windmore proudly serves the Northern Piedmont region, including Culpeper, Fauquier, Rappahannock, Orange, and Madison counties. Since its inception, the organization has supported and presented a diverse array of fine arts disciplines—theatre, music, dance, literature, visual arts, and arts education.

True to its roots, Windmore remains committed to expanding access to the arts and reflecting the rich diversity of our community—in age, culture, income, and lived experience. 

Painting of the Windmore Farm Barn by Mille Lane is from the collection of Mike Markley.