TALLAHASSEE -- A major artist hub in Tallahassee is on it's way to becoming a reality. The project would include retail space, and affordable rent for artists to live and work.

The "Arts on Gaines" center would be used for performing artists and visual artists alike. Hundreds of them showed up Tuesday night to show their support for what soon may be their new home.

They gathered from around the Big Bend for an announcement by Artspace, the group heading up the major hub. The nonprofit group released the findings of its recent survey between local artists. And it found an affordable art center is exactly what the majority of artists say they want and need. The Knight Foundation just donated 375-thousand dollars to get it going.

"We have outgrown our warehouse space for our scenery and our costumes and this will be just an absolute blessing to us," said Janet Prichard, a board member for Tallahassee Ballet. The Tallahassee Ballet and the Boys Choir of Tallahassee would rent space to be the anchor tenants.

In as little as three years the art center would be built somewhere along Gaines Street. But the group still has a lot of money to raise to get it. And it could cost up to 20 million dollars. But the group hopes its survey will convince the city to help out.

"I think in North Florida it would get even more attention because it's a smaller community," said Wendy Holmes, the Vice President of Artspace. "And it's in a relatively rural area. It would be a big deal."

The "big deal" development would be a dream come true for local artists who qualify for low-income housing. The "Arts on Gaines" hub would give them somewhere to live and work for an affordable price.

"Gaines street is such a place that this needs to have this energy," said Tom Rolfes, a local wood carver. "Tallahassee is just waiting to happen, waiting to explode.

The next step in all this is to raise the rest of the money. City leaders say they're excited about the possibilities, but they're waiting to get a better idea on how much this whole thing's going to cost before they make any moves. Commissioners plan to discuss "Arts on Gaines" at a meeting in March.