Artspace

Artspace inspires individual creativity by engaging the community in the process of the visual arts. Artspace is a non-profit visual art center dedicated to providing inspiring and engaging arts education and community outreach programs, creating a dynamic studio environment of over 30 professional artists, and presenting nationally acclaimed exhibitions.Since 1986, Artspace has been Raleigh’s visual art center providing the community with the opportunity to interact with working artists and participate in hands-on arts education. Artspace is a thriving visual art organization with a uniqueness that lies in its emphasis on the art of creation.Located in downtown Raleigh in the historic Sanders Ford building, the Artspace facility was once the city’s livery and later Sanders Ford Car Dealership. Today this 30,000 square foot facility is home to over 30 artists working in a variety of media, along with three exhibition spaces, education space, a gift shop, and administrative offices. Artspace is one of the largest open studio environments in the country and the premier organization of its kind in North Carolina. The concept of opening an art center and cultural corridor in downtown Raleigh originated from a group of community leaders who approached the City of Raleigh in 1980 with this vision. The Raleigh Arts Commission established a task force to explore the need and interest in a multipurpose art facility. This committee made 2 recommendations: 1) the Sanders Ford building as the best location for the art center and 2) the art center incorporate as a nonprofit organization. In 1986, the City Market area suffered from problems relating to urban decay and was in need of revitalization. In many ways Artspace and its founders were pioneers in downtown Raleigh, convincing arts organizations and artists to join them in creating this new visual art center and bringing visitors to a then blighted area. Since 1986, Artspace has continued to evoke excitement in the community and raise awareness of the arts by providing a unique environment where artists can collaborate, where the public can interact with working artists and experience firsthand the creative process, and where children and adults can learn to express their own creativity in classes and workshops. Since its inception, Artspace has inspired more than 2 million visitors and served as the heart of Raleigh’s visual art community. Artspace offers more than 100,000 visitors annually over 30 challenging and award-winning exhibitions, interactive workshops to over 2,000 school-aged children each year, art programming for at-risk youth, classes and workshops to over 3,000 youth and adults annually, and approximately 100 public events open to all in the community free of charge.